The 1st Commandment

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“You shall have no other gods before me.”

What does this 1st of the 10 Commandments mean?

How do you live it out in your life?

It relates to its inverted meaning in what Jesus said in Matthew 22 when the rich young ruler asked Him which commandment was the greatest and Jesus said ‘love the LORD God with ALL your heart, soul, mind and strength’.

Our God is a caring, emotional person who deserves to be first and foremost. Nothing before Him. We are commanded NOT to worship anyone or anything other than He.

Our hearts were made to worship. If we don’t love and worship the God of the Bible we will by default worship something false and unfullfilling. The best way to avoid false worship is to lean into the Word with accompanying Spiritual disciplines. We spend time and talk about who and what we love.

What is Success?

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What is success?

To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

to appreciate the beauty;

to find the best in others;

to leave the world a bit better,

whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded!

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Rejection

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Sometimes, when we feel rejected by people, we feel like we’ve been overlooked by God as well.

But the life of King David is such a beautiful reminder not to trust those feelings.

In 1 Samuel 16, we find the story of David – a son left out in the field tending sheep while his brothers were lined up to possibly be chosen as king. A son almost completely overlooked.

To his older brothers, David was young … possibly even a pest. To his father, Jesse, he was just another son. To onlookers, he was a mere shepherd boy. But to God, David was the one destined to be king of Israel. And not just any king. He was from the bloodline from which Jesus would come.

Even though David was not chosen by his father to be brought in from the field, God ensured David didn’t miss his assignment.

We don’t have to let rejection leave us feeling hopeless and defeated. When we’ve been chosen by God, even people’s rejections will not override God’s assignment.

Credit: TrustworthyStudy

My take:

Most all of us have these feelings of rejection and inferiority, often darts from the devil. Some true, some not.

What an illuminating example here regarding David.

Thankfully, God knows our hearts and loves us all unconditionally. How we respond and develop our relationship is up to each one individually.

Let’s strap on the Armor of God and get strong in Him as David most certainly was.

Isn’t it amazing how God desires a dynamic relationship with each of us and knows us intimately?

Lack of peace in the Middle East and everywhere.

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It stems from the fallout between Isaac and Ismael….two brothers with different mothers…two brothers whom God cared for both but preferred one more than the other. Do you know which one He likes more?

That’s not my opinion, that is from the Word of God. Unruly and enemies ever since and until Kingdom come. Its all there in the first book of the Bible, Genesis.

And all that and this present goes back further to Cain killing Able, whom God preferred.

And of course all the mess and hate is a direct result from the sin Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought forth, as duped by the Devil.

But hey, though we all where born into the curse of sin, we don’t have to stay there. We can’t change our marred DNA but thanks to Jesus Christ we can ride along to a new ending.

Its YOUR choice today.

Check out this article:

“If Islam is a religion of peace, why is there no peace in the Middle East?”