“Do not learn the way of the nations, and do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens although the nations are terrified by them;
3 For the customs of the peoples are delusion; because it is wood cut from the forest, the work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.
4 “They decorate it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers so that it will not totter.
5 “Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, nor can they do any good.”
3 For the customs of the peoples are delusion; because it is wood cut from the forest, the work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.
4 “They decorate it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers so that it will not totter.
5 “Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, nor can they do any good.”
6 There is none like You, O Lord; You are great, and great is Your name in might.
7 Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? Indeed it is Your due! For among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.
8 But they are altogether stupid and foolish in their discipline of delusion—their idol is wood!
9 Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith; violet and purple are their clothing; they are all the work of skilled men.
10 But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.
7 Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? Indeed it is Your due! For among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.
8 But they are altogether stupid and foolish in their discipline of delusion—their idol is wood!
9 Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith; violet and purple are their clothing; they are all the work of skilled men.
10 But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.
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 do not behave as the sinful world does (10:2)
- that we are not afraid of the "heavenly" signs, for example, when astrologers make up horoscope predictions (10:2)
- that we do not fear other gods (10:5)
- that we fear the Lord our God (10:7)
Today's prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for being a fearfully awesome God. There is none like You. When the world says that there are many gods, or that there are many ways to the same god, or that all religions are good - help us to not to get dragged down with believing those things. Give us wisdom and the right words to speak when challenged by those types of statements.
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for being a fearfully awesome God. There is none like You. When the world says that there are many gods, or that there are many ways to the same god, or that all religions are good - help us to not to get dragged down with believing those things. Give us wisdom and the right words to speak when challenged by those types of statements.
Help believers to not get dragged down with the things of the world, like reading horoscopes. If it is not from You or of You, protect us from it and help us focus only on You - to know with confidence - that You, and only You, are the truth and the light. Amen.
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