Monday, December 10, 2018

praying effectively: Have No Other gods (Ex., Duet.)

(Exodus 20:3-6, Deuteronomy 5:7-10)  You shall have no other gods before MeYou shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
(Exodus 20:23)  You shall not make other gods besides Megods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves.

(Exodus 23:13)  Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard; and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth.

(Deuteronomy 4:16-19)  so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 17 the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky, 18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water below the earth. 19 And beware not to lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.

(Deuteronomy 4:23-24)  So watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the Lord your God has commanded you. 24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

(Deuteronomy 16:21-22)  “You shall not plant for yourself an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of the Lord your God, which you shall make for yourself. 22 You shall not set up for yourself a sacred pillar which the Lord your God hates.

Reminder:  "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will.  When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!

It is God's will:
- that we have no other gods in our lives
- that we put God first in our lives
- that we remember God's covenant

Today's prayer:

Dear Jesus, help me not to put anything ahead of You.  Help me to remember that You are the most important thing in my life, and that You alone are my Lord and Savior.

May I align all aspects of my life with the proper priority, not only putting You first, but also involving You in every aspect of my life!  Amen!

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