Marty 2020 Loc: Banana Republic of Kalifornia

It’s somewhat entertaining to watch the unbelievers struggle with the Word. I’m occasionally surprised at what I find in Jesus Christ, myself. But only God knows which vessels were made for glory.
Harsh but true.
It’s the vessels themselves, that chooses destruction.

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Matthew 7:15-17,28-29 From the Sermon on the Mount:
[Jesus said]"Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit."

"When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Marty 2020 Loc: Banana Republic of Kalifornia

Speaking of false teachers, you ever heard of doug batchlor or some such spelling, his show is amazing facts. What a crock of fertilizer!

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

No, I hadn't, Marty.

I just looked at it... and this is part of his introduction:

"Our flagship 30-minute program features the very best of Pastor Doug Batchelor and Amazing Facts programs. Explore the Bible like never before and get practical guidance on Christian living, prophecy, and more. You will find the Bible’s answers to all your questions about life."
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The Bible has been available since the end of the first century, when the book of Revelation was completed.

Jesus is the only mediator between God and man, yet, Doug Batchelor appears to be having illusions of grandeur.

We receive guidance and the answers to our questions by reading the Bible, and praying for understanding, which the indwelling Holy Spirit delivers to our mind, if we will listen.

Why anyone would need Doug Bachelor's answers rather than reading God's word for themselves is, to me, inexplicable, yet, God explains it in I Samuel 8:9-18, by strongly forewarning Israel that there are painful repercussions from desiring a king [or any man] to rule over them, rather than dealing directly with their God.

God had previously said in Deuteronomy 17 that the time would come when Israel would have a king; the Israelites declared that they wanted to have a king because each of their neighboring ethnic groups had their own kings.

Yet, the Lord told Samuel, “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day, I brought them up out of Egypt...” (1 Samuel 8:7-8).

Israel did not want God as their king. They wanted an earthly king in order to indulge in idol worship of false gods just as the surrounding pagan people groups did. Israel did not want to follow God or obey His rules.

Samuel told the people of Israel:

“This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots” (1 Samuel 8:11-12).

In addition to these drastic “rights,” this earthly king would also take the women to be bakers and perfumers, he would take the best of each person’s crops, he would take a tenth of each person’s grain, and he would take all women and male slaves for his own use as well as he would confiscate each man’s cattle (1 Samuel 8:13-16).

Samuel also tells the people that this earthly king would take a tenth of each person’s flock and most severely, every person of Israel would become the earthly king’s slave (1 Samuel 8:17).

With words of warning, Samuel ends his message from the Lord to the people of Israel by declaring, “When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day” (1 Samuel 8:18).

Israel insisted on having an earthly king. The people of Israel proclaimed, “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles” (1 Samuel 8:19-20).

The Lord had been guiding, protecting, and giving victory to Israel ever since their exodus from Egypt. Israel had clearly forgotten that they would have never even left slavery from Egypt if it wasn’t for the Mighty Hand of God.

In the future, we will have the perfect King — Jesus. He will rule as King over the entire earth and there will be no boundaries to His rule (Isaiah 9:7; Psalm 72:8).

Just as Israel rejected God as their king, we too can fall into the trap of treating material things, false teachers, people in our lives, or our own accomplishments as our king rather than God Almighty. Israel wanted an earthly king even though they already had God because they wanted to be like the other surrounding nations.

Whatever or whoever the "king” or “god" in our own life may be, we may repent [change], and surrender it to God, rather than conforming to the false teachers of this world who establish false idol/gods and idol/deities in their lives.

Israel will forever be God’s chosen people; regardless of past bad decisions. The Lord our God is the only God, and we must worship Him alone. He will guide us, comfort us, and protect us (Psalm 23).

We, as individuals today have to make the righteous decision as to whether we will reject God, by rejecting Jesus Christ, or choose to accept the Triune God as our righteous and holy King, and listen only to Him.

Jesus is the only perfect King, and He will reign forevermore (Hebrews 1:8).

Marty 2020 Loc: Banana Republic of Kalifornia

I can barely wait!

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Waiting to hear that time honored classic request... "Beam me up, Scotty!"

Marty 2020 Loc: Banana Republic of Kalifornia

Love Scotty’s accent.