Live Differently
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When some men come to die, the religion which they themselves have thought out and invented will yield them no more confidence than the religion of the Roman Catholic sculptor who, on his death-bed, was visited by his priest. The priest said, “You are now departing out of this life;” and holding up a beautiful crucifix, he cried, “Behold your God, who died for you”.“Alas!” said the sculptor, “I made it.” There was no comfort for him in the work of his own hands; and there will be no comfort in a religion of one’s own devising. That which was created in the brain cannot yield comfort to the heart.
That which was created in the brain cannot yield comfort to the heart.
We are comfortable with the God of our own devising.
No sin is condemned more severely in the OT than the sin of idolatry. No other prophet denounced this sin more frequently than Jeremiah and Isaiah. The temptation to worship idols would significantly increase when they were surrounded by pagan nations.
Jeremiah 10:1–2 (NKJV)
Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel.
Thus says the Lord: “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
Do not learn the way of the Gentiles- Do not accustom oneself to the ways of the gentiles, do not discipline or train yourself to there ways.
Essentially don’t be influenced by the religious beliefs and practices of their neighbors.
He’s not saying be ignorant. But don’t practice there ways.
“Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven.” Don’t fear the signs of the sky.
They believed that extraordinary signs in the sky, such as eclipses, comets, or an unusual collection of stars were the work of evil forces and they were terrified by them.
They also studied the sun, moon, and stars for “signs” that would be revealed by them. and they often worshipped them as deities.
The only sign that the sun, moon , and stars are suppose to reveal is if its day or not or the seasons and to determine time.
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;
So he’s telling them don’t be dismayed by there superstitions.
Some times we rely on these signs for major life decisions, oh I can’t marry him because he doesn’t eat sushi. Thats my favorite food thats a sign.
Its like that now man “I keep seeing 340 I should play that number.” Or I keep seeing 4 thats means I’m gonna have 4 kids
Those are foolish signs, but for us we have signs that we should be looking out for.
You have signs that point us to fear and signs that point us to hope.
Sign that points to hope-
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Signs when I mishandle someone. Or when I take advantage of someone.
Signs when I lied or grieved the Holy Spirit.
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
We are to speak wholesome words good words- that what is corrupt means unwholesome or rotten words.
But we are to speak good and beneficial words for the purpose of edification.
Wholesome words impart grace to the hearers that means it enables the hearers to think with God.
Sometimes we wonder why certain people don’t want to be around us it could be because of your communication to them.
Maybe its not them its you.
“Corrupt word or commutation” means filthy speech
An uncontrolled tongue in the mouth of a believer is the index of a corrupt life. Believers who use the shady or questionable story reveal a heart of wickedness. J. Vernon Mcgee
Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”
The religious Pharisees thought that just because they washed there hands ceremonially that they were spiritually clean.
But Jesus had to bring to there attention its not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man but what comes out of the mouth.
Our mouth betrays us. Our communication betrays us. We can try our best to suppress these things but eventually they will come out.
Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
You ever had someone cuss you out when you are angry and said it slipped out. It didn’t slip out it was in the heart.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Besides our conscience The Holy Spirit helps guard our speech.
The fact that the Holy Spirit can become grieved speaks of The Spirits personality.
To grieve The Holy Spirit means to afflict with sorrow. To sadden The Holy Spirit.
Signs when God is telling me to be patient or to move on.
God was telling Israel do be dismayed by these things.
For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple.
They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good.”
Jeremiah 10:6–9 (NKJV)
Inasmuch as there is none like You, O Lord (You are great, and Your name is great in might),
Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You.
But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish; A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.
Silver is beaten into plates; It is brought from Tarshish, And gold from Uphaz, The work of the craftsman And of the hands of the metalsmith; Blue and purple are their clothing; They are all the work of skillful men.
But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation.
