No Other So-Called Gods

[Christ4Ever]

There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. Psalm 81:9-10 ESV

When reading the Old Testament, it’s smart to assume that Joshua and other writers frequently allude to, indirectly quote, or directly quote from the five books of Moses, Genesis through Deuteronomy. That’s certainly the case in today’s psalm reading.

The key verses above reiterate the opening verses of the Ten Commandments. The Lord had just brought the Israelites out of Egypt. Now, at Mount Sinai, He dictates the unshakable foundation of all biblical commands, morality, and ethics.

Then, at the end of verse 10, the Lord says: “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” Fill it with judgment if they disobey? No, the context here and in Exodus 20 indicates filling with blessing upon blessing if they obey.

When Mom serves something new for dinner, boys are quick to hold their nose, close their mouth, and grimace. That’s what you should do at the very idea of worshipping anything besides the Lord God, Creator and Maker of heaven and earth, who formed you and breathed His life into you.

Instead, whenever you worship the Lord, be quick to open your mouth in eager anticipation.

Prayer: Omnipotent God, I eagerly anticipate Your washing, filling, renewing, and manifold blessings.

 

[GodB4Us]

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Matthew 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

No more filling of the Holy Spirit after salvation as we are always Spirit-filled since salvation as a testimony from God that He has saved us.

Titus 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

There is sowing to the fruits of the Spirit as opposing sowing to the works of the flesh which will reap corruption if they sow to the works of the flesh, but we do so by looking to the author & finisher of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ, to help us lay aside every weight & sin daily as we walk in the light in fellowship with the Father & the Son as His blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness as our confidence is in the Lord Jesus Christ to finish His work in us to His glory.

Galatians 6:1Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.....
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

This is not done by looking for a phenomenon or a supernatural filling as if to "one up" on other believers in vain glorying, but by faith in Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd to help us to do this without signs & lying wonders.

Hebrews 12:1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 John 3:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:...
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

 

[Christ4Ever]

Dear Brother, @GodB4Us
I do not want to get into a continuous theological discussion here, because this is not what a devotional is for. Especially since the Devotional's subject has nothing in truth to do with what you have issue with.

If you have issue with the theology which is not part of this subject's topic which I know you do, from other postings you have made. Please just pass it by when found in this format.
For you will not be convincing me or I you in accepting a view we see differently and believe is true according to Scripture in the subjects you have brought up in your post.

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
\o/
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