THE GODS WHO CANNOT CARRY US

Isa 45:20  "Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save.

Isa 45:21  Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.

Isa 45:22  "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

"As the LORD declares His own greatness, faithfulness, and saving power, it naturally contrasts with the foolish idols of the nation - which must be carried, instead of being able to carry the one who worships them!" - David Guzik

There is one God Who is true, Who can save, Who can carry, and Who will complete His whole purpose in the earth.  There is one way only, in this life, to know Him, to be accepted by Him, and to dwell with Him for eternity.  You cannot use His name, yet create for yourself another god.  You cannot claim to follow Him, yet build your own religion in His name. You cannot tag on His name to things that oppose Him or are contrary to His nature and make them "Christian," such as "Christian psychology" or "Christian yoga."  You cannot make your path to Him just as you please it to be. 

Many who call themselves Christians have made for themselves "gods that they can carry," which are idols in their mind and hearts of the things in this world they truly "worship" or bow down to. Webster's 1828 dictionary says of Worship - 3. To honor with extravagant love and extreme submission; as a lover. That is anything that is contrary to the God of the Bible that they depend on, trust in, embrace, and adore or submit to, other than Him, taking the place of Him.  They tell themselves they are truly worshipping God, because they find a way to add this to their "Christianity."  But can their gods carry them?  When the day of evil comes, the day of testing, the day they are faced with making a black and white decision of losing their standing with the world, their pleasures, their security, and all they hold to in this world; or in deciding for the God of the Bible, bearing His shame in this world, trusting in Him alone, will their gods carry them?  They will be forced to choose one or the other.

There are many brands of Christianity, but there is only one way to know God.  There are many ways being told to the church today as acceptable.  In fact, some embrace all religions, even those that are not claiming at all to be Christian.  "All paths lead to God" they say.  But Jesus said this to us: "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

(Matthew 7:13-14)

Does this mean He has made it hard for us to be Christians?  Are we to struggle and strive to be good enough to find that life?  He has actually made it so easy that it is hard for us to believe!  That narrow way is Jesus Himself, and no one comes to the Father but by Him.  The broad path takes in man's way... his works, or his sacrifice, or his rituals, or whatever he can concoct to make himself somehow attain a level of righteousness or acceptance.  Human pride causes us to think we can save ourselves.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

(John 14:6)

The Jews thought their law was the narrow way... the only way for them to be acceptable.  Yet they could not follow the law.  Christians can also mistakenly think obedience to the law is the narrow way.  They even make up their own laws in their minds at times.  But the narrow way is Jesus.  He is our salvation. He is our righteousness.  He is our truth.  He is our sanctification.  Simply putting our faith, trust, reliance, and hope in Him, Who He is, what He has done, and knowing He will carry us... He will carry out His Word and carry through with His promise of eternal life for all who believe in Him, is the narrow way that God has made.  It is that life that empowers us to walk in righteousness, and be conformed His image.  It is that life in us that keeps us. It is that life in us that carries us through the fiery trials of this life and upholds us.  It is that life that carries us through everything we can think of that would separate us from Him.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Romans 8:35-39)

He is able to carry us.  A false god cannot carry us.  This is why many who think to become Christians but come to a false jesus with a false motivation become disappointed when their jesus fails them and life turns hard, or has great sorrow or loss.  "If God is love how could He do this to me?"  Their god won't carry them through the trials and sorrows of this life, neither will their god carry them into eternity with Him.  It is really a god of self that they desire - a god that will give them all they want in this life. 

How important it is to find the God of the Narrow way - the only way that there is to truly know Him, find His love and His eternal life, and live with Him forever!  He reveals Himself in His Word. Many give forth a word that sounds good - even using some Scripture - yet it is the word of men and not the Word of God.  We must turn to His Word to know Him. If you want to know a person, you go to that person and listen to their word.  You don't go to someone else who talks about them. You have to meet that person himself. You let them speak their heart to you and little by little you learn to know them.  You share yourself with them and you form a relationship.  There is only one way to form a relationship with the God of the Bible.  You must read what He says to you as He has revealed Himself and His plan and His way to you there.  As you do, and His Word is unfolded to you, you learn to have confidence in this true God Who has proved Himself in His Son, Jesus Christ, Who died for you so that you can come freely to Him, and be cleansed of all sin that would separate you from Him, and you receive eternal life now and forever. 

The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

(Revelation 22:17)

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

  I'd like to share today a Grace Gem that I think will be a blessing to you. I've always loved Psalm 23, and the thought that the Lord is my Shepherd.  It immediately brings a sense of peace to my soul, knowing that all my needs are cared for by my perfect Good Shepherd.  He cannot ever fail.

The Shepherd Psalm

Charles Naylor, 1920
 

The Psalmist says of the Lord, his Shepherd, "He makes me to lie down in green pastures," or, as the Hebrew has it, "in pastures of tender grass." What a world of significance there is in this little sentence, "The Lord is my shepherd!"

"He makes me to lie down." He does not compel me. That is not the Lord's method — he finds a better way. If he compelled me to lie down, there would be no pleasure in it. When a sheep is compelled to lie down — it is in fear; it cannot but dread what is to happen to it. So the Lord does not compel me. He leads me in the pastures of tender grass, and I eat until I am satisfied, and being satisfied with the sweet and luscious pasturage — I lie down, content.

While the sheep is hungry, it will not lie down in the pasture; it desires to eat. But when it has eaten its fill, it lies down and rests and is satisfied. In the same way, God feeds my soul day by day; the good things of his kingdom he gives unto me. He satisfies my soul with fatness. My soul desires nothing more than what he gives. If I hunger, he has a supply — and he gives me, and that with a generous hand. He knows all my needs. He supplies every one, that I may be "fat and flourishing, to show that the Lord is upright."

There are many enemies about, but "he makes me to lie down." I am in quietness. My heart is not afraid. The Shepherd stands between me and those ravening wolves. The lion and the bear cannot harm me — for the Shepherd stands as my protector. His eye shall watch, while I lie down. His ear shall hearken and shall hear the sound of their footsteps if they come near. I trust the Shepherd; therefore my heart is not afraid, and I shall lie down safely.

It is trust which enables me to lie down. If I were afraid, I could not thus rest. I would be watching and fearing and trembling. Every noise would alarm me. I would forget about the green pastures. I would forget the tender grass. But he is watching. He has his weapon in his hand. He does not fear my enemies — and while he is watching I do not fear them, for he is strong and mighty. He is greater than my foes. They know it and are afraid. They tremble at his voice. They flee away, but I lie safely. He has said, "I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel — in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel."

"He leads me beside the still waters." When I grow thirsty, the river lies at the foot of the mountain — and down the slope he will lead me; and there in the shade, in the quiet, restful coolness, I shall drink of the waters of quietness and shall be satisfied, and my soul shall delight in him.

The path down which he leads me may be steep — and there may be thorns along the way. But so long as he leads me where he will, he will lead me safely. I must not choose my own way. I must not run ahead of him. I must not leave the path. I must follow close to him. I must listen to his voice — and then he will lead me to the still waters, and there I shall rest in his love.

Then as the evening falls, he will lead me to his fold — and inside its walls of security, I shall rest during the hours of the night. I shall not fear the darkness, for the Shepherd is watching. I shall not fear the wild beasts round about, for they cannot harm me. He will watch over me and bear me up when I am weak. I can rest secure. My shepherd is the Good Shepherd. He loves his sheep. They are a pleasure to him.

Though he sometimes may need to lead by a rugged way — yet I am safe, for he cares for me. He will lead me in the way that I should go. He will enrich my soul with his goodness. Yes, "goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life — and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!" 

You can find more Grace Gems at http://www.gracegems.org/