Why does God seem far? II

Living a blessed life

1. Obedience commands the blessing

Psalm 24:5 NKJV

He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Genesis 22:17–18 NKJV

blessing I will bless you and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

2. Idolatry is not necessarily craved images; it can be setup in the heart as well

Ezekiel 14:1–11 NKJV

Now some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them? “Therefore speak to them, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Every one of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols.” ’ “Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations. For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I the Lord will answer him by Myself. I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I amthe Lord. “And if the prophet is induced to speak anything, I the Lord have induced that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel. And they shall bear their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired, that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me, nor be profaned anymore with all their transgressions, but that they may be My people and I may be their God,” says the Lord God.’ ”

3. Idolatry robs us of Gods mercies

Jonah 2:8 NKJV

“Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy.

4. How do you identify you have an idol in your heart?

“Idols are spiritual addictions that lead to terrible evil”

We are not controlled by ourselves but by the Lord of our lives; so, whatever we give ourselves to, is what controls us

When a good thing places its demands on you, and exceeds its boundaries you know it’s become your lord- Thomas Keller {Matt 6:24}

i. Anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you look to give you only what God can give. i.e., fulfilment, satisfaction.

ii. Anything so central and essential to your life that should you lose it, your life would feel hardly not worth living.

iii. Something we cannot live without, we must have it and therefore it drives us to brake rules we once honoured, to harm others and even ourselves to get it.

iv. They have such a commanding position in your heartthat you can spend most of your passion and energy, your financial resources in it without a second thought, and this could be legitimate things like family, carrier, etc.

v. Anything more fundamental to your happiness, meaning in life and identity than God then is an idol.

vi. Anything that promises safety, peace, happiness if only we base our lives on them.

5. God will not choose for us

Deuteronomy 30:19 NKJV

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, thatI have set before you, life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.

Colossians 3:5–14 NKJV

Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.