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3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, " If
you return to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and
the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and
serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the
Philistines." 4 So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the
Ashtaroth and served the LORD alone.
5 Then Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah and I will pray to the
LORD for you."
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I want to talk to you today about life strategies and plans. As adults we have many life decisions to make and many obstacles and hurdles to get around. We have many walls to climb over and fences to knock down. In Israel's case, the Philistines were one of those walls. Israel could not understand why the God that drown Pharaoh in the same sea that they walked though on dry land, Who has displayed His power and ability to deliver to perfection, has allowed them to be defeated.
There is one thing that I am learning about God, just recently. And when I say I am learning, I mean experientially, I have read the scriptures, but unless they are lived they cannot be learned. But this one thing is this. God hates idolatry. Now back in the Old Testament days, Israel made idols of wood and gold, but remember this one thing, the wood and the gold were not evil, it was the intent of the heart of the Israelites that were evil. As far as God was concerned the wood and gold were dead and lifeless. The simple fact of the matter was that Israel had hardened their hearts to God and chosen carnal, lifeless objects as an avenue to satisfy their cravings. Be it for power, lack of faith in God Who was unseen, they chose to fill their lives with things rather than look to God for that true relationship.
Israel did not understand that only the Lord could satisfy all of their needs, because He is the one who created them. I don't drive a Mercedes Benz, so it would make no sense to take my automobile to a Mercedes dealership for repairs. Like wise I would not take my TV to the barbershop to get it repaired (it may get fixed, but I may not see it again). That example may seem a little ridiculous, but that is the point. It is that ridiculous, even the more so, that one would seek their satisfaction anywhere else but in the Lord.
There are a lot of idols in this day and age and to list them all would take up too many pages and too much of your time. But we can say this: An Idol is anything or anyone that is sought to fill a void that only God can fill. I am learning, my friends, that God wants to fill them all. And they do not necessarily have to be negative voids. Just a simple "I want to hear a beat that makes my head bop." For example I was in the record store a few years ago, and I saw a hip-hop CD that I used to listen to, in my uncommitted days, with the hottest beats imaginable. However the artists were sending a message totally contradictory to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Had I purchased that CD, I would have purchased more than the CD I would have built an idol.
Now back to this success and planning. God tells Israel in verse 3 of this text " If you are returning to the Lord with ALL of your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth [female deities] from among you and direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hands of the Philistines."
I am learning that when I clear my life from the idols that I have built up, and come to the conclusion in my heart that God is the only answer, He responds. And I mean right on TIME.
I pray that this message blesses and encourages you to take an introspective look at yourself. See if there are any idols in your life, that are hindering your success and plans for life. And believe me this is not an accusatory message, no man knows the spirit of another man except that man. But for those who are looking to take their Christian walk to another level, see if there is anything that you may hold more dear to your heart than your relationship with God, and trash it!
To the King eternal, immortal, invisible the only God, be the honor and glory forever and ever amen!
Blessings, Peace and Love to you all in Christ Jesus our Lord
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