HAVE NO OTHER god’s BEFORE ME!!!

Sep. 17, 2013

HAVE NO OTHER god’s BEFORE ME!!!

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. Ex. 20:2-3

From the beginning God points us to calvary and than the first law of His Decalogue is to have no other gods before you

Romans 6: 15-18 15 tells us, What then? “Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” So First let’s determine what we as Christians consider as A God, or god  in the 21st century

GOD – In Christianity and other monotheistic religions simply means the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being.
god- one of several deities, especially a male deity, presiding over some portion of worldly affairs. or anything that takes our love, affections away from our CREATOR WHO IS OUR TRUE GOD

Paul tells us in” Philippians 2:12-13  Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

When we are laborers together with God, we cannot set our affections upon things below; for where our affections are, our thoughts will be; and where our thoughts are, there will be our treasure. When we dwell upon things seen and temporal, we fail to obtain divine knowledge (White)

So to have no other Gods before me, would mean to Renounce  Anything that hinders A true worship of God. At the time God is giving His commandments, Moses is on top of a mountain. He’s about to be given the 10 Decalogue from God. And the Bible says, then God spoke these words:

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” It is amazing that the 10 Commandments don’t start with a command, but a statement.”I am the Lord your God who brought you out of slavery.” And this statement seems to imply A relationship. So God only gave these precepts to people who He had A relationship with.

And then their influence were to relay Gods message to the world. But instead The world were the one’s who did the influencing that resulted in Israel’s downfall. As Christians we also have the good news of the Gospel along with Gods commandments. What has our influence been on the world.

Or have we allowed the gods of this world to determine our relationship with God and our responsibility to tell other about Him. But A commitment to serve can only happen when you give it all to the Master and follow him to Calvary. Once again going back to God giving this commandment to Israel who already had A relationship with God.

In making the command to His people who should have had no other god;s before him, Also recognizes what influence other gods would have on Israel. And each of us in the 21st century, and how these gods would hinder our relationship with Him. in this busy and complex world we live in.

I often find myself these days having to sacrifice something I love to do, for the sake of what is more important at that particular time. Well God wants us to know in giving us this commandment, that He wants nothing before Him

“for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

In other words, every decision you make in life should first be centered and focused on our LOVE, HONOR, RESPECT, WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. God started His precepts off by saying “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, where you were in the house of bondage.

In other words you were slaves. And like each of us, we were all slaves to sin. But God reminded Israel And each of us today. That He not only is our Creator , but he also redeemed us on Calvary for Paul tells us in1 Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

So First We are his because he created us. And second we are His because he bought us out of Our Bondage to Satan and the forces of evil and freed us at the cross. So my God lead Israel and He is also leading us today to make Him your only God. God sees our relationship with Him much like a marriage relationship.

1Corinthians 6:15-17 tells us Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

Like The words of the marriage vows say “FORSAKING ALL OTHERS” There can be only one God the God who is revealed to us in His Word. And he is calling us into A relationship with him today through His Word and Spirit. My friends today where does your LOVE AND AFFECTIONS LIE Where is your focus when your mind takes a break from the complexities of your life.

Where is your focus? Like a compass needle,will always point north, will your focus and love always point to Christ. in the world of technology, and facebook, What is your passion, What is important to you? Where do you spend your time? What are you living for each day?

“Colossians 3:1-4 tells us “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

Temporal things are not to engage our whole attention, or engross our minds until our thoughts are entirely of the earth and the earthly. We are to train, discipline, and educate the mind so that we may think in a heavenly channel, that we may dwell on things unseen and eternal, which will be discerned by spiritual vision. It is by seeing Him who is invisible that we may obtain strength of mind and vigor of spirit. E. G. White So my friends today I ask you the question who is your God or god

So friends stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY