Build-a-god

Exodus 20:1-7 And God spoke all these words: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ”You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name."

I remember many years ago, taking my goddaughter to a cute little shop in a shopping mall to get a special Teddy Bear for one of her friend’s birthday party. It was a unique store, where you actually would “build-a-bear”. She picked the specific style of plush doll from a variety of empty bear models. Then a store assistant would stuff the toy through a tube from a giant machine with filler that was swirling around in a big glass vacuum tank. They then would take us back to an area where she could choose from another vast variety of items to place inside the self-designed Teddy Bear. There were hearts, charms and even a little box that you could record a message that the recipient of this custom toy of your own creation could play and enjoy. It was quite an experience and I see that this store is still there and delighting many new customers daily. This is a great concept for Teddy Bears for kids, but not for our concept God. Yet that is exactly what many people do. Instead of seeking, learning and knowing the Sovereign Creator of Heaven and the Earth, in a personal relationship, they “Build-A-god” with attributes that they approve in life to fit their expectations; thereby having counterfeit God ... a stuffed toy. A woman recently told me that she was having a hard time finding a church that she liked because they focused too much on things like sanctity of life, protecting the unborn, purity, chastity, and biblical morality. She said that she thinks of God as “love” and these other issues are not important to her. Why?

We have a tendency to selfishly focus on ourselves by our standards and the temporal desires of life; aka the flesh. We enjoy our lusts and covet the sensual pleasures, along with admiration of others. But 1John 2:15-17 tells us: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” We are tempted by the lie of freedom outside of God to believe what we want or do what we want, and object to the moral standards of God that set boundaries contrary. So we create in our mind a god (we build-a-god), who lives by our worldly and fleshly standards, thereby putting us on the throne as king and dethroning the true God. But that god, that we build, doesn’t really exist.

Galatians 5:13 “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh. We have this battle of the flesh against the Spirit of God that says “We determine what is ‘right’ and what is ‘wrong’ in our lives.” It’s my life and I’ll do what I want with it. ”I don’t need God to tell me what to do and what not to do.” “I am in control of my life.” Galatians 5:16-21 explains: “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Why? No Fruit. The truth is not in them and they have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who changes our heart. This is emphasized further in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." Born again, born anew, and born from above. God is our heavenly Father. Additionally, Ephesians 5:1-5 tells us; “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” As you can see, there are serious and eternal consequences involved also. Many in this nation and world have not heard this godly truth; and how can anyone know or believe what they have not heard?
The pursuit of happiness is found in the pursuit of holiness, and what we all truly long for in life is found in “walking with the Spirit of God”. Galatians 5:22-25 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." When we obey the true God of the Bible and follow Christ as true disciples, we truly grow to maturity as children of God and receive the “best” in life, both, today and eternally.

1Timothy 1:4-11 says: “Teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God.” Good news! There is a God and it is not me ... or you. Tell others not to build-a-God, but to discover their One, True Almighty Maker, who loves them. This life is good and Heaven is even better! Find life and living in Christ.
Psalm 62:5 "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. (In Him & from Him) “confident” hope, now & forever, in His word & laws, in His unfailing love, and we wait (our Refuge, our redemption, and our shield)."

Obey the Lord, your God. In Christ, Brian