TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
For in him you have been enriched in every way–in all your speaking and in all your knowledge. - 1 Corinthians 1:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
Writer and intellectual Ayn Rand celebrated the power of the human mind. “We are born into this world unarmed, our mind is our only weapon.” While her philosophy of Objectivism rejects the Christian message, she unwittingly communicated a biblical truth about our sanctification. The battle for holiness is often first waged in our minds.

As our key verse today suggests, God has provided generously for our sanctification. He hasn't simply assigned us the impossible task of holiness but has “enriched [us] in every way.” As an extension of our theme of God's faithfulness, we will explore these generous gifts that He provides to make us holy. One is in the realm of our knowledge.

First Corinthians 2 gives us a glimpse at our mind transformed by Christ. First, the sanctified mind has faith. We accept as truth that which has not been “seen” or “heard” (v. 9). Neither science nor experience is our ultimate guide in the quest for knowledge; divine revelation is (v. 10). Second, our knowledge encompasses what God has “freely given us” and produces joy (v. 12). We can rejoice in forgiveness, purpose, fellowship, holiness, and sonship—just some of the gifts we've talked about in our study this month.

Finally, our knowledge of “the deep things of God” (v. 10) and “the thoughts of God” (v. 11) makes us people of purpose and direction. We don't have to stumble through life with uncertainty. A Christian's posture can and should be confident and resolute, especially as he or she seizes the great privilege of prayer.

But 1 Corinthians 2:16 might initially surprise us. We aren't commanded to “have the mind of Christ.” It is already ours! The battle isn't so much about taking new ground as it is about occupying a land already conquered. This should give us tremendous confidence in our daily spiritual skirmishes!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
This week, as you pray, think of your mind as a territory conquered by Christ Himself. When you struggle with impure thoughts, praise God for the holiness that is yours in Christ. When envious, ask God to make the contentment of Christ real within you. When anxious, remember His peace. When afraid, claim His courage. Ask Him to occupy the territory over which He's already claimed ownership, and look forward to how His Spirit indwelling your mind likewise changes your behavior.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Peter 1:1-11
If you possess these qualities . . . they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord. - 2 Peter 1:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
A physical education teacher divides his class into groups. To the soccer group, he hands a baseball mitt and bat. To the volleyball group, he gives hockey sticks. And to the football group, he offers shin guards and a soccer ball. Using the equipment you've got, play the game you've been assigned. You'll be graded on your performance, he declares.

Such an unfair test is absurd. To play a sport well, one needs the right equipment! The same is true for us spiritually. Does God require holiness from us and withholds what we'd need to obey Him? Our study in sanctification proves that God provides freely everything we need for sanctification.

We're focusing for several days on the gift of knowledge. Because we have the mind of Christ, we can understand who God is and what He's given us. The gift of knowledge is explained further in today's passage, specifically how it contributes to our spiritual health. First, our knowledge isn't a dull mental exercise. It's more than the facts we can recite about God. It's personal knowledge of Him. Second, our knowledge provides a means for understanding “everything we need for life and godliness” (v. 3). Knowing God's promises keeps us on the path to holiness. It reminds us of the goal of sanctification, to be like God and unlike the world.

But knowledge isn't the end-all of Christian experience. In fact, Peter warns that even with godly, biblical knowledge, one can be “ineffective and unproductive” (v. . Sanctification is not measured by the number of Bible passages memorized, or theological complexities mastered, or degrees conferred by Christian institutions. Knowledge is vitally important, but it's not the whole picture of Christian sanctification. Rather, it needs to be accompanied by the other virtues in this passage. It must be tempered with self-control, it must be strengthened by perseverance, and it must be motivated by brotherly kindness and love (vv. 5-7).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Peter has a spiritual workout for us that includes a list of eight Christian virtues. Choose something from that list that you will ask God to work with you and in you to change. Write a statement expressing what kind of change is needed (i.e., I want to show more godly character in my workplace). Then, determine between five to ten ways that you could “practice” in that area. Implement one new “exercise” consistently each week until you've completed your list.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 8
Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. - 1 Corinthians 8:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
John Wesley once said, “Orthodoxy, or right opinion, is, at best, a very slender part of religion. Though right tempers cannot subsist without right opinions, yet right opinions may subsist without right tempers. There may be a right opinion of God without either love or one right temper toward Him. Satan is proof of this.”

Our sanctification depends upon God's gift of knowledge, but as Wesley points out, we can have knowledge without a love for God. We can have orthodoxy without holiness. Right opinions must be sanctified by love and humility.

Today's passage addresses one example of the abuse of knowledge, where truth reigned imperially without love's restraint. In this chapter, the Corinthians had rightly understood the theological implications of Christian freedom. By knowing that “an idol was nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one,” they freely ate food sacrificed to idols with a clean conscience (v. 4). They were right in their understanding but wrong in their application. They hadn't considered the weaker brother or sister whose conscience would be troubled when observing an act that he or she considered sinful. “So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge” (v. 11).

Clearly, even “right” knowledge can have a damaging effect within the body of believers when it is not accompanied by love and humility. In essence, “knowledge puffs up” (v. 1). Knowledge is dangerous if it produces smug contempt rather than humble love. And humility is essential since we don't yet understand everything (v. 2).

Instead of insisting upon their legitimate freedoms, Paul instructed the Corinthian church to temper their truth with love. “Love builds up” (v. 1). We can test the use of our knowledge often by our motives. Are we seeking to be right at all costs? There is a place for teaching and instructing one another according to our knowledge (cf. Col. 3:16), but it must be done in a spirit of love.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Have any of your relationships with other Christians soured recently over a difference of opinion? Did your friendship suffer because you insisted on your way of thinking and behaving? Make the effort to reconcile this relationship, first, by confessing to God your sinful pride and then asking Him to heal what's been wounded. Pursue this person, not to explain or defend why you thought or behaved as you did but to confess your pride and ask for forgiveness.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 4:25-5:20
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up. - Ephesians 4:29
TODAY IN THE WORD
Our accent and vocabulary betrays who we are and where we're from. If you're from south of the Mason-Dixon line, your friends are “ya'll,” and even Sprite is “Coke.” Bostonians don't have an “ant” Mary but an “ahnt” Mary. And a British golfer puts his clubs in the “boot” of his car.

We Christians should be as easily identified by the way that we talk. First Corinthians 1:5 notes that we “have been enriched in every way in all your speaking and in all your knowledge.” What we say reveals who we are. According to our Ephesians passage, sanctified Christians should avoid “unwholesome” speech and practice “helpful” speech (4:29).

Unwholesome speech includes lying or any form of deception (v. 25). It is the practice of pronouncing angry or violent words that result in bitter accusations, slanderous half-truths, or malicious outbursts (vv. 26, 31). Christians should also refrain from involving themselves in idle, foolish conversations (5:4). All such manner of speaking is “improper for God's holy people” (5:3).

We should not only avoid the bad but practice the good. Paul says proper and holy speech aims to “build others up according to their needs” (v. 29). Our needs as humans aren't hard to discern. Kindness, forgiveness, and compassion (v. 32) are indispensable. We can and should overlook faults rather than criticizing. We can and should forgive rather than mentioning an offense. Compassion should be our first response before anger and reproach. This is an extension of grace to others that reflects the grace God extended to us.

The ultimate goal of godly speech is to imitate God. (5:1, 2). We're not there until we're fully imitating Christ's love and self-sacrifice.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Having a thankful heart directly affects the words we speak (5:4, 20). If we're thankful for the people in our lives, we're less apt to fall prey to angry or bitter speech.

Spend time making lists of reasons why you're thankful for the people with whom you argue the most. Even if the only reason you can find is that it helps in your sanctification process, then thank God for that!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power. - 1 Corinthians 2:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
R. A. Torrey said of D. L. Moody, “The whole secret of why D. L. Moody was such a mightily used man you will find in Psalm 62:11: ”˜God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.' . . . If D. L. Moody had any power, and he had great power, he got it from God.”

Moody's example and our text for today remind us that God enriches our speaking and our knowledge, not just for our benefit or for that of our churches, but for the benefit of a lost world. Our sanctification results in producing the salt and light which will influence the world (Matt. 5:13-16).

God strengthens our witness and makes us messengers, not because of our “eloquence or superior wisdom” (v. 1) but because of His Spirit's power (v. 4). This doesn't mean that we won't be scared or feel at times inadequate for the job. Even the apostle Paul experienced “weakness and fear and . . . much trembling” (v. 3). We often cite our lack of biblical knowledge as disqualification from evangelism. In this passage, however, Paul elevates the value of a personal relationship with Christ as of supreme importance. “I resolved to know nothing . . . except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (v. 2). Regardless of our level of biblical understanding or spiritual maturity, our speaking for Christ is enriched (cf. 1 Cor. 1:5) by our testimony of personally knowing and following Him.

Our feelings of personal ineptitude in evangelism also demonstrate a common misunderstanding of the nature of Christian faith, making conversion to be more a matter of rational persuasion than divine transformation. The gospel saves “those who believe” (1:21), not necessarily the well-learned. Evangelism is not defined by reasonable arguments, but must first be an effort of prayer dependent “on God's power” (2:5). We gain confidence, not by simply refining our presentation, but by relying on the Holy Spirit.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Admit to God the fear that keeps you from telling others about Him. Ask Him for the Holy Spirit's power to create opportunities to share your faith. Then, ask Him to help you know what specifically to say in those moments.

Record in a journal the specific times that this prayer is answered, and pray consistently for the people with whom you share, that the Holy Spirit will be at work in their hearts.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 13
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. - 1 Corinthians 13:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend co-authored the Boundaries book series, affirming the equation of truth and love necessary for the health of all human relationships. “Many people think that boundaries are about selfishness and are at their root, self-serving. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Boundaries are about freedom, and freedom is always meant to have as its ultimate fruit, love.”

Jesus said that one extraordinary characteristic of the church would distinguish us as His disciples: our love for one another (John 13:35). Our love for God and our love for others is the truest measure of our sanctification. It is therefore essential to discover a biblical definition of love. Where love in modern practice has come to mean kindness without admonition and sentiment without commitment, in its biblical definition love always generates truth. When love and truth work in tandem, it is the ultimate example of “speaking” and “knowledge” enriched and sanctified in every way through Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 1:5). 1 Corinthians 13 exquisitely describes the qualities of Christian love that should always guide the church's pursuit of truth. The church is called to “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15), and today's passage explains what that looks like. Truth in love does not grow impatient when change is slow, rude when the message is misunderstood, or arrogant because of its informed position. Truth in love means to protect, not attack, trust rather than mistrust, hope instead of despair, persevere rather than give up (v. 7). Truth in love was the essence of Jesus' ministry on earth. He never feared speaking the truth, and yet He never ignored the worth and dignity of each person with whom He spoke.

This call to love is an excellent reminder before we broach tomorrow's important topic of community. Our sanctification depends upon our vital connection with other believers, and it is love that will preserve those relationships despite the misunderstandings and offenses that we will inevitably have.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Is there someone in your life to whom you have spoken truth in a spirit of nastiness or condemnation? Or perhaps there is someone you love to whom you've not had the courage to speak the truth because you have preferred to avoid confrontation? Prayerfully prepare for these conversations, asking God to make your truth-telling loving, patient, kind, humble, forgiving, and polite. May our motive to love others always supercede our necessity to defend our positions.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 12
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. - 1 Corinthians 12:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
Imagine that for one day, you had to give up the use of one of your body parts. Your hand, maybe—but then you couldn't do your work. Your foot, then—but how will you walk? Your mouth? It's your stomach who disagrees. It's a choice we'd have a hard time making. Each part of our body is essential; each function is vital.

So it is with the body of Christ: we cannot thrive apart from connectedness to fellow Christians. Sanctification happens as a result of each member contributing his or her gift “for the common good” (v. 7). We depend on one another. “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don't need you!'” (v. 21). No member of the body can do the job of another member well. The very best hand cannot do the work of the eye. The foot cannot function as an ear. In light of this truth, the body faces two dangers.

First is the danger of spectatorship. Some Christians are spiritual benchwarmers, comfortable watching the game but never offering to play. What they might not realize is that they hurt the body when they choose this. The Spirit of God is in each believer. Every believer who sits out of the game handicaps the body from fully serving God.

Second is the danger of heroism. If one member of the body acts as if his contribution is more valuable than another, others may believe they are irrelevant to the body of Christ. The neglected members spiritually atrophy, while the stronger member does work he was never meant to do. The body of Christ is a place where everyone is important, where talent and education and personality are not prerequisites for serving God. “But God has combined the members of the body . . . so that there should be no division in the body” (vv. 24, 25).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Are you forming healthy, interdependent relationships with other believers at your local church? It is vital for your sanctification. If not, take steps to get involved in a small group this next month if they are available.

If small groups aren't available, ask another friend to meet with you regularly for prayer, Bible study, and accountability. Affirm the gifts of the Spirit you see in other believers so that they may gain confidence in serving the body.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:29-58
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. - 1 Corinthians 15:58
TODAY IN THE WORD
C. S. Lewis once said, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” And here's where we begin to conclude our study of sanctification. If God's grace is true, and holiness is essential, isn't it worth more than our half-hearted attempts to “be good”?

The apostle Paul in today's passage set forth two life strategies, one distinctly sanctified and one distinctly secular. The Christian strategy aims at receiving an eternal reward; the pagan simply aspires to an epicurean pursuit of pleasure (v. 32). Paul's argument counters what some Christians have offered as a familiar defense of their faith to nonbelievers. Even if there is no heaven and no God, at least I'll know I've lived a life of greater love and kindness here on earth; I'll lose nothing if I'm wrong. Paul insists that this sentiment is entirely false. Verses 29 through 34 demonstrate that if there is no resurrection from the dead, if we have no eternal hope, we are fools to deny self for the service of others and of Christ. We would be much better off to seize the momentary pleasures of today, denying ourselves nothing for the sake of tomorrow.

But the resurrection is true! Because we “eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed” (1 Cor. 1:7), we are called to persevere in today's key verse. Even when we cannot measure the results and impact of our service, we know that we have an eternal hope and reward in Christ. We will one day be fully like Him (v. 49). Our weak and mortal bodies will one day be clothed with the imperishable (vv. 42-43). Even death and sin cannot defeat us to whom is given “the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 57). These are the reasons we have for willingly enduring the sacrifices and self-denial that service requires of us today for the hope of reward awaiting us in the future.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Our hope of heaven is an anchor for our sanctification. Jesus relied on His vision of heaven to enable Him to endure the Cross. And even as we studied on November 12 through 17, we too have a cross of discipleship to bear in this life, and we need encouragement to persevere. Read Bible passages describing heaven, such as Isaiah 66:17-25 and Revelation 21. If you're interested in doing some more extensive research on this subject, read Randy Alcorn's book entitled Heaven.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 12:14-29
Make every effort . . . to be holy: without holiness no one will see the Lord. - Hebrews 12:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
Our journey through Scripture's teaching on sanctification ends today, but before we get out of the car, let's take a look back at our map. Where have we been?

Today's passage serves as a wonderful conclusion for our topic of sanctification. As we see from today's verse, we are called to be holy. The quality of our discipleship matters to God. Though Christ's blood makes us holy before God (v. 24), we must still strive to be holy.

Our efforts are the only appropriate response to the grace of God (v. 15). God's grace has secured our salvation, empowered our sanctification, and assured us of His faithfulness. His grace is so good, His initiative so loving. Thankfulness and reverent worship are our feeble attempts to recognize God's grace in our lives and praise Him for it (v. 28).

But refusing God's grace and God's voice in our lives can happen in several ways. We might be living lives of bitterness (v. 15), blaming God and blaming others for our difficulties and failures. Bitterness prevents us from understanding God's grace. We may also reject God's grace by deliberate and flagrant sin (v. 16). When we choose to ignore God's revealed Word and His commands, we tell Him He's not worthy of our obedience. Finally, we can just simply be godless. We can live independently without an attitude of submission to our Creator. We think we'll live as we choose without regard to Him.

All these responses should inspire fear in us, for there may come a time when repentance can no longer be sought. This happened to Esau. When he realized his fault, it was too late. He could not repent (v. 17). We may think there is time tomorrow for obedience, time next year for a more fervent effort towards holiness. But earlier in chapters 3 and 4 of Hebrews, it clearly indicates that the only time we have is today: “Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (3:7-8).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Take a moment to reflect on what God has said to you throughout this month's study, and write it down in your journal. Now review your list. Has He called you to be more consistent with your Bible reading? Maybe you're supposed to reconcile a broken relationship? Tell a friend about Christ? Depend on His grace more from day to day?

List out some action statements for each thing you've mentioned so that you can obey His voice.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 2:15-25
You shall have no other gods before me. - Exodus 20:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
If asked, most people would probably say that worship means respecting or honoring a worthy object or person. Many might add that worship should be directed to God. So far, so good. Yet for too many people—even believers—the focus on God is forgotten. In some churches, the music may be beautiful and the setting inspiring, but God is missing! Consider this from Pastor John MacArthur: “In the process of striving to fulfill our needs and satisfy our desires, the church has slipped into a philosophy of ”˜Christian humanism' that is flawed with self-love, self-esteem, self-fulfillment, and self-glory.”

The repetition of “self” in MacArthur's quote captures how easily human beings become preoccupied with themselves, a tendency rooted in humanity's fall. But we weren't created to focus on ourselves, which often leads to self-worship. Instead, we were created to worship God. Indeed, this is His primary intention for us.

This month we'll focus on principles of worship. Our English word worship comes from the Anglo-Saxon word weorthscipe, meaning “worth ship.” Worship is about recognizing the worthiness of God and giving Him the honor that He's due.

One thing we'll see quite clearly is that worship isn't limited to a place, a time, or action, although it impacts each of these areas. Instead, worship is about our relationship with God, and involves our minds, our souls, our emotions, our bodies, our time, and our resources. Worship affects every part of our being and everything that we do. We'll see that because worship is what we've been created for, true worship certainly isn't something that happens only on Sunday morning.

Consider today's account of the Garden of Eden. Although worship isn't directly mentioned, we see that God was completely at the center of Adam and Eve's life. He provided everything that they needed, including each other. In two days, we'll look at how the Fall shifted humanity's focus from God to self—with profound implications for worship.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Worshiping God for who He is differs from praising Him for what He's done. Certainly it's right to praise Him for His abundant blessings, but worship goes beyond this. Spend some time today worshiping the Lord by meditating on His character. You can begin by thinking about His attributes, like His holiness, mercy, power, love, etc. You may recall specific times when you've seen these aspects of God's character manifested. The more we practice our worship of God for who He is, the more clearly we'll see Him in our lives.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 5:1-14
At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. - Philippians 2:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
On September 1, 2005, the Chicago Tribune ran a letter from local pastor Christopher Farina questioning the newspaper's publication of a quote that used the name Jesus Christ as an expletive. Farina's letter showed his deep reverence for the Lord Jesus Christ, and the editor's respectful response recognized that the newspaper shouldn't have published the irreverent quote verbatim.

It's important to remember, especially as we see improper attitudes and uses of the name of our Lord all around, that one day followers of Jesus Christ will stand before Him, and we will finally able to worship Him fully as we were created to do. Beginning tomorrow, we'll consider several passages that deal with the Fall's devastating effect on human worship. But today, we want to focus on God's ultimate goal for humanity, which is restored worship.

Revelation 5 shows us some very important foundations for worship. First, we see that restored worship is only possible through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. No one else is worthy to open the scroll that sets in place the final events of history, during which evil will be destroyed and the Lord will reign victoriously (v. 5). Thus true worship must be centered on the redemptive work of Christ.

Second, we see that true worship involves a complete response. Notice that living creatures and elders fall down in worship in recognition of the utter worthiness of the Lamb (v. . Third, we see that true worship naturally leads to praise and adoration. The new song that is sung in heaven extols the worthiness of the Lamb (vv. 9-10).

Finally, we see that every creature will ultimately bow in recognition of the worthiness of the Lamb (v. 13). John's language here focuses on those who voluntarily worship Jesus, but we know from passages such as Mark 5:7 that even demons are forced to acknowledge the holy lordship of Christ.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In his book Prayer, Richard Foster calls praise “the serious business of heaven.” Today's passage gives a wonderful peek into heavenly worship. At long last, we will worship Jesus as we were meant to. But we don't wait until heaven to start our worship—our worship here on earth helps us prepare for an eternity of praising God. In fact, because our lives are hidden with Christ in heaven (Col. 3:1-3), worship and praise is our serious business right now.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 3:1-19
I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. - Leviticus 26:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
When pastor Randy Harris and his wife, Kellie, were driving through Oklahoma, they saw a billboard that read, “From religion to relationship.” This became the theme of their church, Crossview Church, in Fayette, Alabama—and for good reason. There's a profound difference between religion and relationship.

Religion can be understood as humanity's attempt to bridge the gulf between the earthly and the spiritual, or between the here and now and the hereafter. Religion usually focuses on what humans must do to please the gods or whatever spiritual force is thought to govern human life. Religions can be found in all parts of the world throughout all time. Fundamentally, religions are humanity's attempt to reverse what happened in Eden.

In Genesis 3:8 we get a glimpse into the relationship Adam and Eve had with God before they sinned. As the Lord walked in the garden, the two hid because they were ashamed. This suggests that previously they wouldn't have hidden, but would have welcomed God's presence. God's question to Adam, “Where are you?” (v. 9), has nothing to do with God finding Adam, but everything to do with Adam losing God.

Genesis 3 is key for understanding proper worship. God intended Adam and Eve to look to Him for everything they needed, especially an open, intimate relationship with their Creator. Satan's temptation was to shift their focus from God so that they would believe that what they really needed couldn't come from God. Satan uses the same strategy today.

Humans were created to worship their Creator, and if they aren't worshiping the one God, they'll worship something else. It's impossible for a person to avoid worship. But worship of anything beside God is idolatry, which describes religions that attempt to close the gap of the Fall without worshiping the one true God. As Pastor Harris says, “Religion was born out of separation.” Thankfully, Christianity is more than a religion—it is a relationship that includes being reconciled to God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The term religion often describes anyone with any sort of spiritual belief system, including Christian believers. If someone asks if you're religious, how should you answer? It's the perfect opportunity to share the reality of your relationship with Jesus. You could affirm that you attend church and read the Bible, but those deeds aren't in themselves enough to please God. Saving faith is that God has reconciled us to Himself through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and His Spirit now abides with us. This is a life-changing relationship!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Romans 1:18-32; Isaiah 40:18-26
I will not yield my glory to another. - Isaiah 48:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
Many people would like to believe that how we view God doesn't really matter in the real world. The problem, of course, is that this just isn't true. Consider, for example, Karl Marx, the founder of modern communism. Early on, Marx was influenced by a book, The Essence of Christianity, in which Ludwig Feuerbach argued that God was really just a creation of humanity. Believing that God wasn't the solution, Marx advocated revolution to achieve social change. His ideas inspired some of the most brutal regimes in history. Clearly how we view God does matter and does have consequences.

Denying the truth about God explains the slide into the horrific sin described in Romans 1. Paul starts by declaring that the truth about God can be known by all. Because human beings are created in God's image, they have a God-given sense of right and wrong, even if they've never heard the gospel. This knowledge of God isn't complete, but it's enough to give every person a certain moral accountability before God. Paul says that when humans abandon this knowledge of God, they fall prey to gross immorality (v. 28).

It may not be surprising to see that the suppression of truth leads to moral decline. But it is rather remarkable to note the link between failing to glorify God properly or to give Him thanks (v. 21) and moral darkness. In other words, this terrible decline begins with a failure to worship God. As we saw yesterday, worship is not optional for human beings. Either we'll worship God, or we'll worship something else—there are no other choices.

Isaiah 40 shows that us any attempt to reduce the Creator God to some created image is ludicrous. How could an artisan ever fashion any object of worship that could compare with the One who sits enthroned above the entire universe, in complete control both of human rulers (v. 23) and the stars in heaven?
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In Acts 17:29, Paul says, “Since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like . . . an image made by man's design and skill.” We're probably not tempted to worship gold figurines or wood carvings. But if we're honest with ourselves, we're easily led to worship other idols—perhaps financial security or a particular relationship or status and recognition. These are not inherently evil things, but if we want them more than we desire God, we've created an idol.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 12:1-9
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. - Acts 2:21
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the novel The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame, the characters Rat and Mole respond to the “august presence” that they've encountered. “”˜Rat!' he found breath to whisper, shaking. ”˜Are you afraid?' ”˜Afraid?' murmured the Rat, his eyes shining with unutterable love. ”˜Afraid of Him? O, never, never! And yet—and yet—O, Mole, I am afraid!' Then the two animals, crouching to the earth, bowed their heads and did worship.”

Rat and Mole's experience describes the close link between awe, fear, and worship. Abram likely felt similar emotions when the Lord first appeared to him. We don't have that account, but it must have been quite powerful because Abram willingly left his native country and his father's household. By faith, Abram believed the Lord's promises to him (vv. 2-3) and set off into the unknown.

After arriving in Canaan, Abram journeyed as far as Shechem. This cross-country trek symbolized the eventual possession of the land by Abram's descendents, as later Scripture records. After Abram's initial survey, the Lord again appeared to him, reconfirming His original promise. In response, Abram built an altar.

The act of building an altar is very significant. Abram's altar was a visible acknowledgement that God had given this land to him and revealed his faith that God would fulfill His promises. But, more importantly, the altar introduced a new religion to the land and revealed part of God's purposes in bringing Abram to Canaan.

Abram continued into Canaan and built another altar near Bethel. In many ways, calling upon the name of the Lord (v. summarizes the worship of the patriarchs. It also stands in direct contrast to the story recorded in Genesis 11 just before we read about the call of Abram in Genesis 12: the boastful arrogance of those who tried to build the tower at Babel—to make a name for themselves rather than call upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 11:4).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Abram's altar revealed his faith in God and declared that faith to his Canaanite neighbors. Worship is more than our private interaction with God. It also has implications for those around us who don't know the Lord. You can certainly invite unbelieving family and friends to attend church with you, and since your worship should extend beyond the walls of the church, prayerfully consider other times that you can “call up the name of the Lord” to bear witness to the living God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 19:16-20:26
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt . . . you shall have no other gods before me. - Deuteronomy 5:6-7
TODAY IN THE WORD
In January 2000, people from various religious backgrounds attended an interfaith event in Chicago. According to one speaker, “All religions lead to God using different paths. . . . Different religions . . . are equal in the eyes of God and should be seen as equal in the eyes of man.”

Millions of people agree with that statement, but just because something's popular doesn't make it true. As we saw a few days ago, it's not about religion, or even religions—it's about a relationship with the God who revealed Himself in His written Word and His Living Word, Jesus. Christians assert that there's only one God and only one way to Him (see John 14:6).

The Israelites had seen plenty of Egyptian gods. God knew that when they entered Canaan, the various gods there would tempt them. In fact, the lure of foreign idols remained constant until the Exile. God had delivered Abraham's descendents from bondage because of His prom- ises, and because He wanted to create a worshiping nation (Ex. 19:6). Recall that the reason given by God through Moses as to why Pharaoh should let the people go was that they might worship God (Ex. 7:16).

Safely out of Egypt, the people were told to prepare for the Lord's glorious and terrifying appearance on Mount Sinai. The limits put on approaching God are similar to the later restrictions against entering the inner sections of the tabernacle and temple (19:23). Human sin results in certain limits on how God can be approached.

This is the context, then, for the Ten Commandments. The first commandment makes even more sense given all the false gods around the Israelites. This also explains the next two commandments. The Lord God can't be worshiped just like other gods, because He's totally unlike any other object of worship.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God gave the Ten Commandments to His people so that they could worship Him properly. Each commandment reveals something about His holy character. From these commandments, we too learn how to worship God exclusively, denouncing any other competing contender. We also learn that worship involves how we treat His name (commands 1-3), His time (command 4), and those who bear His image (commands 5-10). Ignoring these commandments hinders us from true worship.