Tweet the Word of God

It is always a blessing to have the Word of God Tweeted and read online - here is a website that you can go to - click a button, and join a chain of people tweeting the Bible verse by verse - give it a go - it only takes a couple of minutes:

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Is. 55:10-11

“For as the rain comes down,

and the snow from heaven,


And do not return there,


But water the earth,


And make it bring forth and bud,


That it may give seed to the sower


And bread to the eater,

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;


It shall not return to Me void,


But it shall accomplish what I please,


And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Rom. 10:17

So then faith comes by hearing,

and hearing by the word of God

Worship vs Idolatry

As worshipers, we need to make no room in our hearts for idols. The Lord calls us to love Him and worship Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.

An idol can be defined as:

-an object of worship

-an image used as an object of worship

-a false god

-one that is adored, often blindly or excessively

-something visible but without substance

-the worship of a physical object as a god

-the immoderate devotion or attachment to something

Ex. 20:3 You shall have no other gods before me. [First Commandment]

Ex. 20:23 You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold.

Ex. 23:24 you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do

“make” - Idolatry is directed at manufactured objects.

“bow down” - Idolatry involves making symbolic gestures which honor the thing they are directed to.

“serve” - Idolatry is like serving someone (a master, a King).

1Kings 18 gives us the story of Elijah when he confronted the weak king Ahab, his wife Jezebel and the prophets of Baal. These were all a part of the idolatrous Amorite nation.

The Amorites may have come from the northern mountains beyond what is now modern Iraq or around the Caspian Sea. Their name comes from the god they worshiped. These were the most difficult nation for Israel to deal with - an evil and sinful people whose wickedness surpasses that of any other, and whose life was cut short on earth. They used black art, witchcraft and impure mysteries, by which they contaminated Israel.

When the children of Israel are summing up their victories (Josh. 24:18) they said, “And the LORD drove out from before us all the people, including the Amorites who dwelt in the land. We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God.”

The Amorites got special mention because they were so difficult to deal with, and they caused such trouble for Israel.

1Kings 18:21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.

36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.

 37 “Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”

 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.

 39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”

If God had permitted it, Satan could have sent fire to the altar of the false prophets. He would have done it to support the prophets of Baal and to bring confusion to God’s people. Satan has the power to make fire come down from heaven (Rev. 13:13-14). God would not allow the devil to do it, however, because the trial of his Divine title and supremacy was put to the test by all present.

We might think that we don’t have idols in our lives. We tend to think that idols are only for less “sophisticated” people than us…but…answer these questions, and you will see what captures your heart, and who, or what you worship:  

•  What is it that demands your utmost commitment?

•  What is it that you give the majority of your heart and effort to?

•  What is it that controls your behavior?

•  What is it that causes joy and sorrow in your life?

•  What is it that you want the most?

•  What do you do with your leisure time?

•  What do you think about the most?

•  What do you love the most?

•  What makes you laugh and cry?

•  What is the caliber of friends you surround yourself with?

•  How do you spend your money

•  Whom and what do you admire

Answer these questions honestly - they will show you who/what you worship.

It is possible to worship sports, people, money, TV, shopping, cars, music, art(s), work, substances - almost anything.

Tell me what you love and I will tell you what you are.

Arsène Houssaye

Wisdom vs. Bitterness

Heb. 12:15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

“Root” Gk. ridzo. like the root of a tree - something established and firmly fixed - so much so that it now determines the whole tree. When we have roots of bitterness in our lives, it affects every part of our being - our whole character is polluted. We were made for fruitfulness, but bitterness withers the soul. 

“Bitterness” Gk. pikria an inward attitude that produces a scowl on the face.

Inwardly infected by attitude

Outwardly affected by appearance

We are told to “look diligently” for this bitterness. It is interesting to me that James teaches us that bitterness comes out of our hearts and through our mouths (tongue)

Jas. 3:8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.

 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?

 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.

 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.

 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Bitterness causes 6 things in us (6 is the number of man – worldliness):

- It causes us to boast and lie against the truth

- It causes us to live earthly worldly lives

- It causes us to be sensual

- It causes us to be demonic

- It causes us to be confused

- It causes us to  be consumed by every evil thing

James gives us a magnificent call to wisdom – if we want to be known as wise, we have to run after these 7 things (7 is the number for perfection). If we obtain these 7 things we will end up with wisdom instead of bitterness:

7 attributes to go after instead of bitterness:

Pure (holy) – Wisdom begins with holiness

Peaceable (peace loving) – Wisdom grows through living in peace with others

Gentle – (at all times; considerate; courteous) Wisdom is strengthened through gentleness

Humble – willing to yield (readily giving way in an argument; submissive; not self-willed) Wisdom is increased through humility

full of mercy – (compassion) and good fruits (kind actions; good deeds) Wisdom is perfected through mercy and good fruit

Impartial –  (free from favoritism) Wisdom is improved when it is available to all

Without hypocrisy – (sincere) Wisdom is comprehended in sincere hearts

We need to actively work at these – not passively agree to them. Once again, we have work to do to militate against bitterness and all of its evil fruit.

Father - give us grace to turn away from all bitterness today

Update on Pastor Saeed Abedini

Here is an update on Pastor Saeed Abedini who is currently being held in an Iranian prison for his faith. From FOX NEWS:

An Iranian court rejected an appeal from Saeed Abedini, the American Christian pastor held in Iran for his Christian faith, and refused to reduce the eight-year prison term his supporters believe is tantamount to a death sentence, according to his family and lawyers.

Abedini, 33, an American citizen who lives in Boise, Idaho, with his wife and two children, has been held in Iran’s Evin Prison since September, following his arrest on a bus. His supporters say he has been beaten and tortured in the prison, and that he was only in Iran to try to start a secular orphanage.

“While we remained hopeful that Iran would use its own appeal process to finally show respect for Pastor Saeed's basic human rights, again Iran has demonstrated an utter disregard for the fundamentals of human rights,” said Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law and Justice, which represents Abedini’s wife and their two children.

“We are exploring all options with Pastor Saeed’s family, including options in this country and abroad to bring more pressure on Iran from the U.S. and other countries around the world. The decision is deeply troubling and underscores Iran’s continued violation of principles of freedom of religion, association, peaceful assembly and expression.”

Abedini’s attorneys were hopeful that new Iranian President Hasan Rowhani, who took office this month, would show more clemency in religious persecution cases. Instead, Abedini's legal team is now more fearful that the latest legal setback could mean he'll face additional beatings and abuse inside the notoriously brutal prison.

The decision to reject Abedini's appeal came yesterday from the Tehran Court of Appeals and was handed down by a two-judge panel that refused to provide Abedini's Iranian attorney with a written copy of the decision, according to his attorneys.

One of the judges issuing the decision, Judge Ahmad Zargar, was previously sanctioned by the European Union for issuing long-term sentences and death sentences for peaceful protesters.

Abedini, who was first arrested for evangelizing in his homeland more than a decade ago, claims he was freed and told by authorities he could return to visit family as long as he refrained from spreading his faith. But when he went back to Iran last year to help build a secular orphanage, he was arrested.

“The news out of Iran is devastating to our family,” said Naghmeh Abedini, who believes her husband's only hope for freedom lies with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

Naghmeh Abedini also expressed disappointment in the U.S. government.

“My husband is serving eight years in the notorious Evin prison and facing daily threats and abuse by radicals because he refuses to deny his Christian faith," she said. "I am extremely disappointed that President Obama has chosen to remain silent on this critical human and religious rights case of an American imprisoned in Iran.”

Although President Obama has not spoken out on Abedini's plight, the State Department, which has no diplomatic relations with Iran, has condemned his continued imprisonment.

The decision rejecting the appeal comes just one month before the first anniversary of his imprisonment. Prayer vigils are planned in the U.S. and around the world for Sept. 26 and a website,www.savesaeed.org has been made to help spread the word.