God, religion, and spirituality are on our minds a lot these days, and sometimes it can be hard to sort out what we think and feel about it all.
Well, we’ve got good news! We created this website specifically for that purpose… to help you determine exactly what you believe.
We’re so glad to be on this journey together. Let’s get started!
Do you own your own faith?
I think it’s fair to say that most of us believe that we do own our own faith, but do we really?
If you’re like me, you grew up going to church, or Synagogue, or [you fill in the blank], so you know the basics…
Love God, the Commandments, show up and be a good person, etc.
But do you know the source of the rules you currently believe?
Any normal reaction would be… of course I know! I pay attention when my preacher, or rabbi, or priest is talking. But to be more specific here… have you ever searched for Scriptural evidence to support the basic beliefs of your faith?
If not, then you do not own your own faith. You own someone else’s.
You own the faith of those who have shared theirs with you.
And if that’s the case, then we are triply glad that you’re here with us today!
We have spent several years searching the Scriptures to provide you with enough information, supported by Scriptural evidence, to form and support your own belief system.
This information will 1) enable you to define exactly what you believe about God and His expectations of us, 2) help you make better choices about your life and the way you interact with others, 3) bring you closer to God and His intended path for your life, and 4) allow you to own your own faith!
And so, without further ado… let our journey begin!
Setting Up to Learn the Foundation of All Faiths
All throughout the Scriptures, God has given us enough valuable information for us to know exactly how He expects us to interact with Him and with each other.
We begin our exploration of faith with the story of Adam and Eve. This is where God teaches us the foundation that all faiths are based on.
in the beginning…
God created a man and a woman; their names were Adam and Eve.
Then God said, “Let Us make a man – someone like Ourselves, to be the master of all life upon the earth and in the skies and in the seas.” So God made man like his Maker. Like God did God make man; man and maid did He make them.
– Genesis 1:26-27
And God gave them dominion over all the earth.
And God blessed them and told them, “Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it; you are masters of the fish and birds and all the animals. And look! I have given you the seed-bearing plants throughout the earth, and all the fruit trees for your food. And I’ve given all the grass and plants to the animals and birds for their food.”
– Genesis 1:28-30
the rule
While this seemed to be the perfect plan, there was one small snag… God gave them a rule to obey. They were to stay away from the tree in the center of their garden; it was the tree of conscience that would make them aware of right and wrong.
God placed the man in the Garden of Eden as its gardener, to tend and care for it. But God gave the man this warning: “You may eat any fruit in the garden except fruit from the Tree of Conscience – for its fruit will open your eyes to make you aware of right and wrong, good and bad. If you eat its fruit, you will be doomed to die.”
– Genesis 2:15-17
Let’s stop here for just a moment. The story we are about to discuss – Adam and Eve’s fall from Grace – is our first encounter with God’s penchant for using the experiences of others to teach us exactly what He expects from us.
And it is from this very story that we get the foundation of all faiths, the two most valuable lessons of all time and for all eternity… “What did God say?” and “Will you choose to obey Him?”
Adam and Eve’s test
Everything was fine in the Garden of Eden up to this point… life was good. Adam and Eve were being obedient to God and they were rewarded with continued communion with Him.
Then one day Eve was asked a very simple question… “Did God really say [that]?”
The serpent was the craftiest of all the creatures God had made. So the serpent came to the woman. “Really?” he asked. “None of the fruit in the garden? God says you mustn’t eat any of it?” “Of course we may eat it,” the woman told him. “It’s only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not to eat. God says we mustn’t eat it or even touch it, or we will die.”
– Genesis 3:1-3
When we look at this in terms of knowing what God has said and then choosing to obey Him, Eve knew exactly what God had said; she even repeated it correctly. But the crafty one wasn’t finished with her yet, and that’s when the true test came… would she choose to obey what she knew to be God’s Word?
“That’s a lie!” the serpent hissed. “You’ll not die! God knows very well that the instant you eat it you will become like Him, for your eyes will be opened – you will be able to distinguish good from evil!” The woman was convinced. How lovely and fresh looking it was! And it would make her so wise! So she ate some of the fruit and gave some to her husband, and he ate it too.
– Genesis 3:4-6
Unfortunately, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God.
evidence of their fall from Grace
When God learned of their disobedience, He was very angry and reprimanded them severely.
That evening they heard the sound of God Almighty walking in the garden; and they hid themselves among the trees. God called to Adam, “Why are you hiding?” And Adam replied, “I heard You coming and didn’t want You to see me naked. So I hid.” “Who told you you were naked?” God asked. “Have you eaten fruit from the tree I warned you about?” “Yes,” Adam admitted, “but it was the woman You gave me who brought me some, and I ate it.” Then God asked the woman, “How could you do such a thing?” “The serpent tricked me,” she replied. So God said to the serpent, “This is your punishment: you are singled out from among all the domestic and wild animals of the whole earth – to be cursed. You shall grovel in the dust as long as you live, crawling along on your belly. From now on you and the woman will be enemies, as will your offspring and hers. You will strike his heel, but he will crush your head.” Then God said to the woman, “You shall bear children in intense pain and suffering; yet even so, you shall welcome your husband’s affections, and he shall be your master.” And to Adam, God said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate the fruit when I told you not to, I have placed a curse upon the soil. All your life you will struggle to extract a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, and you shall eat its grasses. All your life you will sweat to master it, until your dying day. Then you will return to the ground from which you came. For you were made from the ground, and to the ground you will return.”
– Genesis 3:8-19
And… not only did Adam and Eve suffer tangible loses, they were excommunicated from God, Himself!
Then God Almighty said, “Now that the man has become as We are, knowing good from bad, what if he eats the fruit of the Tree of Life and lives forever?” So God banished him forever from the Garden of Eden, and sent him out to farm the ground from which he had been taken. Thus God expelled him, and placed mighty angels at the east of the Garden of Eden, with a flaming sword to guard the entrance to the Tree of Life.
– Genesis 3:22-24
The Foundation of All Faiths: Listen and Obey
A lot of people read the story of Adam and Eve’s fall from Grace and they get so twisted around trying to make it fit something entirely different that they miss the crux of the whole thing, and it really is as simple as…
What did God say? And, will you choose to obey Him?
These two questions are the foundation of ALL faiths, and God tells us repeatedly throughout the Scriptures just how important our obedience is to Him.
Moses climbed the rugged mountain to meet with God, and from somewhere in the mountain God called to him and said, “Give these instructions to the people of Israel. Tell them, ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I brought you to Myself as though on eagles’ wings. Now if you will obey Me and keep your part of My contract with you, you shall be My own little flock from among all the nations of the earth; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be a kingdom of priests to God, a holy nation.’ “
– Exodus 19:3-6
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“Obey My laws if you want to live safely in the land. When you obey, the land will yield bumper crops and you can eat your fill in safety.”
– Leviticus 25:18-19
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Again and again God Almighty had sent prophets to warn both Israel and Judah to turn from their evil ways; He had warned them to obey His commandments which He had given to their ancestors through these prophets…”
– 2Kings 17:13
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“But what I told them was: Obey Me and I will be your God and you shall be My people; only do as I say and all shall be well!”
– Jeremiah 7:23
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Then God Almighty spoke to Jeremiah once again and said: “Remind the men of Judah and all the people of Jerusalem that I made a contract with their father – and cursed is the man who does not heed it! For I told them at the time I brought them out of slavery in Egypt that if they would obey Me and do whatever I commanded them, then they and all their children would be Mine and I would be their God. And now, Israel, obey Me, says God Almighty so that I can do for you the wonderful things I swore I would if you obeyed. I want to give you a land that ‘flows with milk and honey,’ as it is today…”
– Jeremiah 11:1-5
While this is by no means an exhaustive list of the verses where God commands our obedience, seeing it repeated time and again, throughout history, to various different prophets, helps us see how important it is to Him.
In fact, God tells us for Himself that He has made this same request of obedience throughout the ages.
“For I solemnly said to your fathers when I brought them out of Egypt – and have kept on saying it over and over again until this day: obey My every Command!”
– Jeremiah 11:7
Now let’s take another look at what happens when someone chooses not to obey God.
The Consequences of Not Obeying God’s Commands
We know, from Adam and Eve’s fall from Grace, the extent that God’s displeasure can take in manifest form. And even though His displeasure does not always hold such severe consequences, make no mistake… when we choose not to obey God, He is going to get our attention.
“My God will destroy the people of Israel because they will not listen or obey. They will be wandering Jews, homeless among the nations.”
– Hosea 9:17
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[Saul got a medium to bring up Samuel’s spirit] But Samuel replied, “Why ask me if God has left you and has become your enemy? He has done just as He said He would and has taken the kingdom from you and given it to your rival, David. All this has come upon you because you did not obey God’s instructions when He was so angry with Amalek. What’s more, the entire Israeli army will be routed and destroyed by the Philistines tomorrow, and you and your sons will be here with me [dead].”
– 1 Samuel 28:16-19
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God Almighty says, “The people of Judah have sinned again and again, and I will not forget it. I will not leave them unpunished anymore. For they have rejected the Laws of God, refusing to obey Him. They have hardened their hearts and sinned as their fathers did. So I will destroy Judah with fire, and burn down all Jerusalem’s palaces and forts.”
– Amos 2:4-5
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Who is wise enough to understand all this? Where is God Almighty’s Messenger to explain it? Why is the land a wilderness so that no one dares even to travel through? “Because,” God Almighty replies, “My people have forsaken My Commandments and not obeyed My Laws.”
– Jeremiah 9:12-13
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“But your fathers didn’t do it. They wouldn’t even listen. Each followed his own stubborn will and his proud heart. Because they refused to obey, I did to them all the evils stated in the contract.”
– Jeremiah 11:8
Probably the best illustration of this is the story of Jonah and the whale. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and give them His message, but Jonah was afraid and didn’t want to go, so he tried to get out of it. He thought he could hide from God in a boat bound for Tarshish.
Let’s read his story to find out what happened.
God sent this message to Jonah, the son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh, and give them this announcement from God Almighty: ‘I am going to destroy you, for your wickedness rises before me; it smells to highest heaven.’ “ But Jonah was afraid to go and ran away from God. He went down to the seacoast, to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket, went on board, and climbed down into the dark hold of the ship to hide there from God. But as the ship was sailing along, suddenly God flung a terrific wind over the sea, causing a great storm that threatened to send them to the bottom. Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. And all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. So the captain went down after him. “What do you mean,” he roared, “sleeping at a time like this? Get up and cry to your god, and see if He will have mercy on us and save us!” Then the crew decided to draw straws to see which of them had offended the gods and caused this terrible storm; and Jonah drew the short one. “What have you done,” they asked, “to bring this awful storm upon us? Who are you? What is your work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?” And he said, “I am a Jew; I worship Jehovah, the God of heaven, who made the earth and sea.” Then he told them he was running away from God. The men were terribly frightened when they heard this. “Oh, why did you do it?” they shouted. “What should we do to you to stop the storm?” For it was getting worse and worse. “Throw me out into the sea,” he said, “and it will become calm again. For I know this terrible storm has come because of me.” They tried harder to row the boat ashore, but couldn’t make it. The storm was too fierce to fight against. Then they shouted out a prayer to Jonah’s God. “O God Almighty,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin, and don’t hold us responsible for his death, for it is not our fault – You have sent this storm upon him for Your own good reasons.” Then they picked up Jonah and threw him overboard into the raging sea – and the storm stopped! The men stood there in awe before God, and sacrificed to Him and vowed to serve Him. Now God had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed to God from inside the fish: “In my great trouble I cried to God and He answered me; from the depths of death I called, and God, You heard me! You threw me into the ocean depths; I sank down into the flood of waters and waves. Then I said, ‘O God, You have rejected me and cast me away. How shall I ever again see Your holy Temple? I sank beneath the waves, and death was very near. The waters closed above me; the seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains that rise from off the ocean floor. I was locked out of life and imprisoned in the land of death, but, O God my God, You have snatched me from the yawning jaws of death! When I had lost all hope, I turned my thoughts once more to God. And my earnest prayer went to You in Your holy Temple. I will never worship anyone but You! For how can I thank You enough for all You have done? I will surely fulfill my promises. For my deliverance comes from God alone.” And God ordered the fish to spit up Jonah on the beach, and it did. Then God spoke to Jonah again: “Go to that great city, Nineveh,” He said, “and warn them of their doom, as I told you to before!” So Jonah obeyed, and went to Nineveh…
– Jonah Chapters 1, 2, and 3:1-3
So, when God wants us to do something or go somewhere, make no mistake, one way or another that’s what’s going to happen! And that’s because…
God does not change His mind
… at least not about His final intentions or His promises!
The story of Balaam brings this lesson to life beautifully for us. The first part of the story is provided here; you can find the rest in its entirety in Numbers, Chapters 22, 23, and 24.
The people of Israel now traveled to the plains of Moab and camped east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho. When King Balak of Moab (the son of Zippor) realized how many of them there were, and when he learned what they had done to the Amorites, he and his people were terrified. They quickly consulted with the leaders of Midian. “This mob will eat us like an ox eats grass,” they exclaimed. So King Balak sent messengers to Balaam (son of Beor) who was living in his native land of Pethor, near the Euphrates River. He begged Balaam to come and help him. “A vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth and are headed toward me,” he frantically explained. “Please come and curse them for me, so that I can drive them out of my land; for I know what fantastic blessings fall on those whom you bless, and I also know that those whom you curse are doomed.” The messengers he sent were some of the top leaders of Moab and Midian. They went to Balaam with money in hand, and urgently explained to him what Balak wanted. “Stay here overnight,” Balaam said, “and I’ll tell you in the morning whatever God Almighty directs me to say.” So they did. That night God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men?” “They have come from King Balak of Moab,” he replied. “The king says that a vast horde of people from Egypt has arrived at his border, and he wants me to go at once and curse them, in the hope that he can battle them successfully.” “Don’t do it!” God told him. “You are not to curse them, for I have blessed them!” The next morning Balaam told the men, “Go on home! God Almighty won’t let me do it.” So King Balak’s ambassadors returned without him and reported his refusal.
– Numbers 22:1-14
Only twelve verses into the story, God tells Balaam that he is not to curse Israel because He had blessed them. And notice how emphatic God was about His answer!
“Don’t do it!” God told him. “You are not to curse them, for I have blessed them!”
– Numbers 22:12
That ought to have told Balaam all that he needed to know about the subject, but unfortunately Balaam made a very poor decision when Balak’s officials returned; he re-opened the conversation with God to see if He would elaborate on His first answer.
Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished ambassadors than the former group. They came to Balaam with this message: “King Balak pleads with you to come. He promises you great honors plus any payment you ask. Name your own figure! Only come and curse these people for us.” But Balaam replied, “If he were to give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I could do nothing contrary to the command of God Almighty. However, stay here tonight so that I can find out whether God Almighty will add anything to what He said before.”
– Numbers 22:15-19
And so, since Balaam asked for elaboration, that’s exactly what God gave him, but not without consequences!
This time, God sent Balaam back with the officials, and on the way Balaam’s donkey acted up three different times, causing him much frustration and embarrassment.
That night God told Balaam, “You may get up and go with these men, but be sure to say only what I tell you to.” So the next morning he saddled his donkey and started off with them. But God was angry about Balaam’s eager attitude, so He sent an angel to stand in the road to kill him. As Balaam and two servants were riding along, Balaam’s donkey suddenly saw the angel of God standing in the road with a drawn sword. She bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat her back onto the road. Now the angel of God stood at a place where the road went between two vineyard walls. When the donkey saw him standing there, she squirmed past by pressing against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot in the process. So he beat her again. Then the angel of God moved farther down the road and stood in a place so narrow that the donkey couldn’t get by at all. So she lay down in the road! In a great fit of temper Balaam beat her again with his staff. Then God caused the donkey to speak! “What have I done that deserves your beating me these three times?” she asked. “Because you have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. I wish I had a sword with me, for I would kill you.” “Have I ever done anything like this before in my entire life?” the donkey asked. “No,” he admitted.
– Numbers 22:20-30
Then Balaam saw God’s Angel and was frightened.
Then God opened Balaam’s eyes and he saw the angel standing in the roadway with drawn sword, and he fell flat on the ground before him.
– Numbers 22:31
And if that wasn’t enough, then Balaam had to tell Balak three times over (this time face-to-face) an elaborated version of the same message that God had given him in the first place.
Balaam was not to curse Israel.
Then God Almighty gave Balaam a message for King Balak. When Balaam returned, the king was standing beside the burnt offerings with all the princes of Moab. This was Balaam’s message: “King Balak, king of Moab, has brought me from the land of Aram, from the eastern mountains. ‘Come,’ he told me, ‘curse Jacob [Israel] for me! Let your anger rise on Israel.’ But how can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I denounce a people God has not denounced? I see them from the cliff tops, I watch them from the hills. They live alone, and prefer to remain distinct from every other nation. They are as numerous as dust! They are beyond numbering. If only I could die as happy as an Israelite! Oh, that my end might be like theirs!” “What have you done to me?” demanded King Balak. “I told you to curse my enemies, and now you have blessed them!” But Balaam replied, “Can I say anything except what God tells me to?”
– Numbers 23:5-12
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Then Balak told him, “Come with me to another place; there you will see only a portion of the nation of Israel. Curse at least that many!” So King Balak took Balaam into the fields of Zophim at the top of Mount Pisgah, and built seven altars there; and he offered up a young bull and a ram on each altar. Then Balaam said to the king, “Stand here by your burnt offering while I go to meet God.” And God met Balaam and told him what to say. So he returned to where the king and the princes of Moab were standing beside their burnt offerings. “What has God said?” the king eagerly inquired. And he replied, “Rise up, Balak, and hear: Listen to Me, you son of Zippor. God is not a man, that He should lie; He doesn’t change His mind like humans do. Has He ever promised without doing what He said? Look! I have received a command to bless them, for God has blessed them, and I cannot reverse it! He has not seen sin in Jacob [Israel]. He will not trouble Israel! Their God is with them. He is their King! God has brought them out of Egypt. Israel has the strength of a wild ox. No curse can be placed on Jacob [Israel], and no magic shall be done against him. For now, it shall be said of Israel, ‘What wonders God has done for them!’ These people rise up as a lion; they shall not lie down until they have eaten what they capture and have drunk the blood of the slain!” “If you aren’t going to curse them, at least don’t bless them!” the king exclaimed to Balaam. But Balaam replied, “Didn’t I tell you that I must say whatever God tells me to?”
– Numbers 23:13-26
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Then the king said to Balaam, “I will take you to yet another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them from there.” So King Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, overlooking the desert. Balaam again told the king to build seven altars, and to prepare seven young bulls and seven rams for the sacrifice. The king did as Balaam said, and offered a young bull and ram on every alter. Balaam realized by now that God planned to bless Israel, so he didn’t even go to meet God as he had earlier. Instead, he went at once and looked out toward the camp of Israel which stretched away across the plains, divided by tribal areas. Then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he spoke this prophecy concerning them: “Balaam the son of Beor says – the man whose eyes are open says – ‘I have listened to the Word of God, I have seen what God Almighty showed me; I fell, and my eyes were opened: oh, the joys awaiting Israel, joys in the homes of Jacob [Israel]. I see them spread before me as green valleys, and fruitful gardens by the riverside; as aloes planted by God Himself; as cedar trees beside the waters. They shall be blessed with an abundance of water, and they shall live in many places. Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom is exalted. God has brought them from Egypt. Israel has the strength of a wild ox, and shall eat up the nations that oppose him; He shall break their bones in pieces, and shall shoot them with many arrows. Israel sleeps as a lion or a lioness – who dares arouse him? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel, and curses shall fall upon everyone who curses you.’ “ King Balak was livid with rage by now. Striking his hands together in anger and disgust he shouted, “I called you to curse my enemies and instead you have blessed them three times. Get out of here! Go back home! I had planned to promote you to great honor, but God has kept you from it!” Balaam replied, “Didn’t I tell your messengers that even if you gave me a palace filled with silver and gold, I could not go beyond the words of God, and could not say a word of my own? I said that I would say only what God says!”
– Numbers 23:27-30 and 24:1-13
Notice that God’s answer about not cursing Israel did not change, the only thing that was different this time was the elaborated version of the message that Balaam had to deliver and the manner in which he had to deliver it.
And about half way through the tale, in Numbers 23:19, God delivers His own message… the moral of the story, if you will… God does not change His mind.
“God is not a man, that He should lie; He doesn’t change His mind like humans do. Has He ever promised without doing what He said?”
– Numbers 23:19
This is one of the more important lessons we find in the Scriptures… third only to those of ‘know’ and ‘obey’. God does not change His mind about His final intentions or His promises.
Clarification on Changes in Course
One thing we need to elaborate on at this point is that even though God doesn’t change His mind about what He intends as a final result or what He has promised He will do, that ought not to be confused with changes in how He gets us there.
Balaam’s story is a perfect example of this.. God told Balaam he was not to curse Israel and He allowed Balaam to deliver that message from the comfort of his own home rather than going with Balak’s officials the first time. However, when Balaam came back to God the second time regarding the same question, God changed the course Balaam was to take in delivering the answer. The course was different for Balaam and Balak, but the message was still the same because God’s intended result for Israel did not change.
There is another great example.. this one in 2 Kings.. where God changes the course a bit, but ultimately arrives at His desired ending.
She [Huldah, a prophetess] gave them [the officials sent by Josiah, king of Judah] this message from the God of Israel: “Tell the man who sent you to Me, that I am going to destroy this city and its people, just as I stated in that Book you read. For the people of Judah have thrown Me aside and have worshiped other gods and have made Me very angry; and My anger can’t be stopped. But because you were sorry and concerned and humbled yourself before Me when you read the Book and its warnings that this land would be cursed and become desolate, and because you have torn your clothing and wept before Me in contrition, I will listen to your plea. The death of this nation will not occur until after you die – you will not see the evil which I will bring upon this place.”
– 2Kings 22:15-20
Notice that the destruction was still going to happen. It was God’s timing of it that got altered.
There are other instances when God determines from the beginning that conditions and circumstances are going to change.
Probably the best examples of this are all throughout the Books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel where God consistently warns Jerusalem that He is going to destroy Her and scatter His people to other nations, but then afterwards there will be renewal and restoration when God brings His people home again.
“But in that coming day, all who are destroying you shall be destroyed, and all your enemies shall be slaves. Those who rob you shall be robbed; and those attacking you shall be attacked. I will give you back your health again and heal your wounds. Now you are called ‘The Outcast’ and ‘Jerusalem, the Place Nobody Wants.’ But,” says God Almighty, “when I bring you home again from your captivity and restore your fortunes, Jerusalem will be rebuilt upon Her ruins; the palace will be reconstructed as it was before. The cities will be filled with joy and great thanksgiving, and I will multiply My people and make of them a great and honored nation.”
– Jeremiah 30:16-19
So even though circumstances may change along the way, those situations are entirely different than God changing His mind about the promises He has made or His final intended outcome… and God tells us very clearly in Numbers 23:19 that’s not going to happen.
Pulling It All Together
So far we have Scriptural evidence of three things about God and His expectations of us.
- God expects us to know what He has said because He expects us to
- obey Him
- without question or altercation, because He is not going to change His mind.
Now let’s take a look at some notable “chosen ones” who disobeyed God and suffered the consequence.
Not only does God not change His mind, He doesn’t bend the rules either… no matter who you are. Just because a person is God’s chosen one does not give them license to overturn His spoken Word.
There are many instances in the Scriptures that give account of God’s chosen ones disobeying and then paying the consequences for their actions.
Soon after Adam and Eve’s fall from Grace, their sons, Cain and Abel, were also tested.
At harvest time Cain brought God a gift of his farm produce, and Abel brought the fatty cuts of meat from his best lambs, and presented them to God. And God accepted Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s. This made Cain both dejected and very angry, and his face grew dark with fury. “Why are you angry?” God asked him. “Why is your face so dark with rage? It can be bright with joy if you will do what you should! But if you refuse to obey, watch out. Sin is waiting to attack you, longing to destroy you. But you can conquer it!”
– Genesis 4:3-7
This tells us that God expects to be first in our lives… first in our hearts and minds… first in our actions… and first in our interactions with Him and others.
“…..The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives.”
– Deuteronomy 14:23
Abel’s offering represented just that; he brought God “fat portions” from the “firstborn” of his flock.
But his brother Cain only brought “some” of the fruits of the soil, as though God were just an afterthought to Cain, and God rejected Cain’s offering with the admonishment to “do what you should.”
There are numerous other cases in the Scriptures where God’s chosen ones disobeyed and suffered for it. Probably one of the more notable ones is the story of David.
David was the youngest of the brothers and yet he was the one God singled out to be His chosen one.
“God has not chosen any of them,” Samuel told Jesse. “Are these all there are?” “Well, there is the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep.” “Send for him at once,” Samuel said, “for we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.” So Jesse sent for him. He was a fine looking boy, ruddy-faced, and with pleasant eyes. And God Almighty said, “This is the one; anoint him.”
– 1 Samuel 16:10-12
For many years David lived within God’s Word and in His favor; God even made him king of Israel.
Then one day, David saw a beautiful woman that he wanted for his own, and even though she was already married, David decided to go against God’s Word and sent for her anyway.
One night he [David] couldn’t get to sleep and went for a stroll on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking her evening bath. He sent to find out who she was and was told that she was Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah. Then David sent for her and when she came he slept with her. (She had just completed the purification rites after menstruation.) Then she returned home.
– 2 Samuel 11:2-4
And David didn’t stop there, no. Not only did he commit adultery with Bath-sheba, he had her husband, Uriah, killed as well.
Finally the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. The letter instructed Joab to put Uriah at the front of the hottest part of the battle – and then pull back and leave him there to die! So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the besieged city where he knew that the enemies’ best men were fighting; and Uriah was killed along with several other Israeli soldiers.
– 2 Samuel 11:14-17
Bath-sheba mourned when she learned of her husband’s death. Then David brought her to the palace as one of his wives, but God was very angry about David’s actions.
When Bath-sheba heard her husband was dead, she mourned for him; then, when the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace and she became one of his wives, and she gave birth to his son. But God was very displeased with what David had done.
– 2 Samuel 11:26-27
In fact, God was so displeased with David’s behavior and rejection of His Word that He took David and Bath-sheba’s infant son as a consequence for their actions. David didn’t just feel God’s rejection, he sustained a tangible, physical loss for his decisions.
Then Nathan [the prophet] returned to his home. And God made [David and] Bath-sheba’s baby deathly sick. David begged Him to spare the child, and went without food and lay all night before God on the bare earth. The leaders of the nation pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused. Then, on the seventh day, the baby died…
– 2 Samuel 12:15-18
As beloved as he was to God, David was not above God’s expectations for obedience to His Word.
However, not all who are tested fall.
Although the Scriptures are full of stories of human failings and their ultimate consequences, not all who were tested fell. Jesus’ obedience was tested in a similar manner to the others, yet he did not experience a fall from God’s Grace.
Just moments after his baptism, Jesus was led into the wilderness alone for forty days and nights to be tested by Satan.
Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, to be tempted there by Satan. For forty days and forty nights he ate nothing and became very hungry.
– Matthew 4:1-2
Instead of rejection, admonishment, or other consequences that would signify a fall from Grace, Jesus stayed in continued communion with God for the remainder of his life on earth. And since Jesus did not fall from God’s Grace, we can reasonably assert that he passed Satan’s tests.
But that begs the question, “What did Jesus do differently than Adam and Eve, Balaam, Cain, David, and all the others who have stumbled or completely fallen from Grace at one time or another?”
Jesus obeyed God’s Word as it was written in the Scriptures and then confronted Satan with God’s Word when Satan presented him with an opposing idea.
Each time Satan proposed something to Jesus, Jesus responded with some variation of, “No, the Scriptures (God) says [this].”
Then Satan tempted him to get food by changing stones into loaves of bread. “It will prove you are the son of God,” he said. But Jesus told him, “No! For the Scriptures [God] tell us that bread won’t feed men’s souls: obedience to every word of God is what we need.”
– Matthew 4:3-4
It really is as simple as… know what God has already said and choose to obey Him, without question or altercation (and regardless of who you are!) because God expects to be first in our hearts and minds, first in our actions, and first in our interactions with Him and with others.
Which brings us to the question…. what do we do when we are living by God’s Word and adversity still comes against us?
Adversity, even in the face of obedience
The Book of Job is one of the most poignant stories in the Old Testament Scriptures, and it gives us the answer.
Job spent his life living in God’s favor; he knew what God commanded of him and he obeyed without question.
Then one day, Satan the Accuser convinced God that the only reason Job obeyed was because He continually blessed him, and so God agreed to allow Satan to test Job with disfavor.
One day as the angels came to present themselves before God Almighty, Satan, the Accuser, came with them. “Where have you come from?” God asked Satan. And Satan replied, “From Earth, where I’ve been watching everything that’s going on.” Then God asked Satan, “Have you noticed My servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth – a good man who fears God and will have nothing to do with evil.” “Why shouldn’t he, when You pay him so well?” Satan scoffed. “You have always protected him and his home and his property from all harm. You have prospered everything he does – look how rich he is! No wonder he ‘worships’ You! But just take away his wealth, and You’ll see him curse You to Your face!” And God replied to Satan, “You may do anything you like with his wealth, but don’t harm him physically.”
– Job 1:6-12
When calamity first struck, Job handled it well…
Then Job stood up and tore his robe in grief and fell down upon the ground before God. “I came naked from my mother’s womb,” he said, “and I shall have nothing when I die. God Almighty gave me everything I had, and they were His to take away. Blessed be the name of God Almighty. In all of this, Job did not sin or revile God.
– Job 1:20-22
But Satan wasn’t finished with him yet…
Now the angels came again to present themselves before God Almighty and Satan with them. “Where have you come from?” God asked Satan. “From Earth, where I’ve been watching everything that’s going on,” Satan replied. “Well, have you noticed My servant Job?” God asked. “He is the finest man in all the earth – a good man who fears God and turns away from all evil. And he has kept his faith in Me despite the fact that you persuaded Me to let you harm him without any cause.” “Skin for skin,” Satan replied. “A man will give anything to save his life. Touch his body with sickness and he will curse You to Your face!” “Do with him as you please,” God replied, “only spare his life.”
– Job 2:1-6
And Job suffered even more.
So Satan went out from the presence of God Almighty and struck Job with a terrible case of boils from head to foot.
– Job 2:7
At this point, Job began to curse his life…
At last Job spoke, and cursed the day of his birth.
– Job 3:1
Yet steadfastly maintained his innocence and righteousness…
“This is my case: I know that I am righteous. Who can argue with me over this? If you could prove me wrong, I would stop defending myself and die.
– Job 13:18-19
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“… Look, I will sign my signature to my defense; now let the Almighty show me that I am wrong; let Him approve the indictments made against me by my enemies. I would treasure it like a crown. Then I would tell Him exactly what I have done and why, presenting my defense as one He listens to.”
– Job 31:35-37
And that’s when God got upset with Job and decided it was time to set him straight about who God is and who Job was not…
Then God Almighty answered Job from the whirlwind: “Why are you using your ignorance to deny My providence? Now get ready to fight, for I am going to demand some answers from you, and you must reply. Where were you when I laid the foundations for the earth? Tell Me, if you know so much. Do you know how its dimensions were determined, and Who did the surveying? What supports its foundations, and Who laid its cornerstone, as the morning stars sang together and all the Angels shouted for joy? Who decreed the boundaries of the seas when they gushed from the depths? Who clothed them with clouds and thick darkness, and barred them by limiting their shores, and said, ‘Thus far and no farther shall you come, and here shall your proud waves stop!’? Have you ever once commanded the morning to appear, and caused the dawn to rise in the east? Have you ever told the daylight to spread to the ends of the earth, to end the night’s wickedness? Have you ever robed the dawn in red, and disturbed the haunts of wicked men and stopped the arm raised to strike? Have you explored the springs from which the seas come, or walked in the sources of their depths? Has the location of the gates of Death been revealed to you? Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell Me about it if you know! Where does the light come from, and how do you get there? Or tell Me about the darkness. Where does it come from? Can you find its boundaries, or go to its source? But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced! Have you visited the treasuries of the snow, or seen where hail is made and stored? For I have reserved it for the time when I will need it in war. Where is the path to the distribution point of light? Where is the home of the east wind? Who dug the valleys for the torrents of rain? Who laid out the path for the lightning, causing the rain to fall upon the barren deserts, so that the parched and barren ground is satisfied with water, and tender grass springs up? Has the rain a father? Where does dew come from? Who is the mother of the ice and frost? For the water changes and turns to ice, as hard as rock. Can you hold back the stars? Can you restrain Orion or Pleiades? Can you ensure the proper sequence of the seasons, or guide the constellation of the Bear with her satellites across the heavens? Do you know the laws of the universe and how the heavens influence the earth? Can you shout to the clouds and make it rain? Can you make lightning appear and cause it to strike as you direct it? Who gives intuition and instinct? Who is wise enough to number all the clouds? Who can tilt the water jars of heaven, when everything is dust and clods? Can you stalk prey like a lioness, to satisfy the young lions’ appetites as they lie in their dens, or lie in wait in the jungle? Who provides for the ravens when their young cry out to God as they try to struggle up from their nest in hunger?”
– Job 38
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“Do you know how mountain goats give birth? Have you ever seen them giving birth to their young? Do you know how many months of pregnancy they have before they bow themselves to give birth to their young, and carry their burden no longer? Their young grow up in the open field, then leave their parents and return to them no more. Who makes the wild donkeys wild? I have placed them in the wilderness and given them salt plains to live in. For they hate the noise of the city and want no drivers shouting at them! The mountain ranges are their pastureland; there they search for every blade of grass. Will the wild ox be your happy servant? Will he stay beside your feeding crib? Can you use a wild ox to plow with? Will he pull the harrow for you? Because he is so strong, will you trust him? Will you let him decide where to work? Can you send him out to bring in the grain from the threshing floor? The ostrich flaps her wings grandly, but has no true motherly love. She lays her eggs on top of the earth, to warm them in the dust. She forgets that someone may step on them and crush them, or the wild animals destroy them. She ignores her young as though they weren’t her own, and is unconcerned though they die, for God has deprived her of wisdom. But whenever she jumps up to run, she passes the swiftest horse with its rider. Have you given the horse strength, or clothed his neck with a quivering mane? Have you made him able to leap forward like a locust? His majestic snorting is something to hear! He paws the earth and rejoices in his strength, and when he goes to war, he is unafraid and does not run away though the arrows rattle against him, or the flashing spear and javelin. Fiercely he paws the ground and rushes forward into battle when the trumpet blows. At the sound of the bugle he shouts, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle when far away. He rejoices at the shouts of battle and the roar of the captain’s commands. Do you know how a hawk soars and spreads her wings to the south? Is it at your command that the eagle rises high upon the cliffs to make her nest? She lives upon the cliffs, making her home in her mountain fortress. From there she spies her prey, from a very great distance. Her nestlings gulp down blood, for she goes wherever the slain are.”
– Job 39
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God went on: “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? Or will you yield? Do you – God’s critic – have the answers?” Then Job replied to God: “I am nothing – how could I ever find the answers? I lay my hand upon my mouth in silence. I have said too much already.” Then God Almighty spoke to Job again from the whirlwind: “Stand up like a man and brace yourself for battle. Let Me ask you a question, and give Me the answer. Are you going to discredit My justice and condemn Me so that you can say you are right? Are you as strong as God, and can you shout as loudly as He? All right then, put on your robes of state, your majesty and splendor. Give vent to your anger. Let it overflow against the proud. Humiliate the haughty with a glance; tread down the wicked where they stand. Knock them into the dust, stone-faced in death. If you can do that, then I’ll agree with you that your own strength can save you. Take a look at the hippopotamus! I made him, too, just as I made you! He eats grass like an ox. See his powerful loins and the muscles of his belly. His tail is as straight as a cedar. The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit together. His vertebrae lie straight as a tube of brass. His ribs are like iron bars. How ferocious he is among all of God’s creation, so let whoever hopes to master him bring a sharp sword! The mountains offer their best food to him – the other wild animals on which he preys. He lies down under the lotus plants, hidden by the reeds, covered by their shade among the willows there beside the stream. He is not disturbed by raging rivers, not even when the swelling Jordan rushes down upon him. No one can catch him off guard or put a ring in his nose and lead him away.
– Job 40
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“Can you catch a crocodile with a hook and line? Or put a noose around his tongue? Can you tie him with a rope through the nose, or pierce his jaw with a spike? Will he beg you to desist or try to flatter you from your intentions? Will he agree to let you make him your slave for life? Can you make a pet of him like a bird, or give him to your little girls to play with? Do fishing partners sell him to the fishmongers? Will his hide be hurt by darts, or his head with a harpoon? If you lay your hands upon him, you will long remember the battle that ensues, and you will never try it again! No, it’s useless to try to capture him. It is frightening even to think about it! No one dares to stir him up, let alone try to conquer him. And if no one can stand before him, who can stand before Me? I owe no one anything. Everything under the heaven is mine. I should mention, too, the tremendous strength in his limbs, and throughout his enormous frame. Who can penetrate his hide, or who dares come within reach of his jaws? For his teeth are terrible. His overlapping scales are his pride, making a tight seal, so no air can get between them, and nothing can penetrate. When he sneezes, the sunlight sparkles like lightning across the vapor droplets. His eyes glow like sparks. Fire leaps from his mouth. Smoke flows from his nostrils, like steam from a boiling pot that is fired by dry rushes. Yes, his breath would kindle coals – flames leap from his mouth. The tremendous strength in his neck strikes terror wherever he goes. His flesh is hard and firm, not soft and fat. His heart is hard as rock, just like a millstone. When he stands up, the strongest are afraid. Terror grips them. No sword can stop him, nor spear nor dart nor pointed shaft. Iron is nothing but straw to him, and brass is rotten wood. Arrows cannot make him flee. Sling-stones are as ineffective as straw. Clubs do no good, and he laughs at the javelins hurled at him. His belly is covered with scales as sharp as shards; they tear up the ground as he drags through the mud. He makes the water boil with his commotion. He churns the depths. He leaves a shining wake of froth behind him. One would think the sea was made of frost! There is nothing else so fearless anywhere on earth. Of all the beasts, he is the proudest – monarch of all that he sees.”
– Job 41
……. yikes!
lessons in humility
There are several things we can learn from Job’s experience.
The very first lesson of the story is that even when we obey God fully, we are not assured that adversity will not come. Obedience is not a guarantee for anything… blessings, family, riches, health, none of that.
And when adversity does come, even in the face of obedience, we are not to rail against God or curse our life; we are to go humbly to God for His guidance on our situation. Asserting our righteousness is not what God wants us to do; He is not impressed with our piety or self-righteousness.
How can we tell that? It’s right here in Job’s story…
After the first round of calamity, God still spoke well of Job.
“Well, have you noticed My servant Job?” God Almighty asked [Satan]. “He is the finest man in all the earth – a good man who fears God and turns away from all evil. And he has kept his faith in Me despite the fact that you persuaded Me to let you harm him without any cause.”
– Job 2:3
It wasn’t until Job began to curse his life, rail against God, and assert his innocence that he got himself into trouble.
At last Job spoke, and cursed the day of his birth.
– Job 3:1
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“… Look, I will sign my signature to my defense; now let the Almighty show me that I am wrong; let Him approve the indictments made against me by my enemies. I would treasure it like a crown. Then I would tell Him exactly what I have done and why, presenting my defense as one He listens to.”
– Job 31:35-37
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The three men refused to reply further to Job because he kept insisting on his innocence.
– Job 32:1
When Job did that, he angered God to the point that God told him exactly how it was and was not… for four chapters!
Which gives us this lesson…
We do not know better than God, nor do we know what He expects of us individually.
The Book of Job tells us this very clearly.
God never told Job that he would be tested in that way, nor did He tell him how to act in the face of that level of adversity. But make no mistake… God did have expectations for Job’s behavior, and when Job finally figured that out, became humble, and repented…
“and I loathe myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
– Job 42:6
God forgave and restored him…
Then, when Job prayed for his friends, God Almighty restored his wealth and happiness! In fact, God gave him twice as much as before! Then all of his brothers, sisters, and former friends arrived and feasted with him in his home, consoling him for all his sorrow, and comforting him because of all the trials God had brought upon him. And each of them brought him a gift of money, and a gold ring. So God blessed Job at the end of his life more than at the beginning…
– Job 42:10-12
And that’s because…
God is eager to forgive and guide us; genuine repentance can soften His heart.
The three R’s are the key to it all: Regret (you wish you hadn’t done it). Remorse (you are saddened by the situation). Repentance (you ask for forgiveness and vow to never do it again).
Let’s go back for a moment to Adam and Eve.
God already knew that they had eaten the forbidden fruit, but He did not just automatically cut them off. He went to them to engage them in a conversation.
The fact that God was still willing to interact with them, gives us reason to believe that there was still hope for their situation.
When God found them hiding in the Garden of Eden and asked Adam about it, instead of owning up to his error, he blamed Eve. There was no regret (yet) and certainly no remorse or restitution.
Repentance was no where to be found… only finger pointing and blaming others. God did not react kindly to that, and we all know their outcome.
The same with Cain when God asked him about his involvement in Abel’s murder. Cain’s lack of regret, remorse, or repentance led to his excommunication as well.
God could not be any clearer in His expectations of us. We are fallible human beings; it is inevitable that we are going to mess up. God knows that, and He offers us the grace and mercy of free will to feel guilt in our wrong and ask forgiveness in repentance.
Just look how differently it turns out for those who repent and ask for God’s mercy.
The Book of Job is only one of many accounts where we see God’s forgiveness and loving kindness as a result of our repentance.
Remember God’s response in 2 Kings when Josiah, king of Judah, repented?
“But because you were sorry and concerned and humbled yourself before God Almighty when you read the Book and its warnings that this land would be cursed and become desolate, and because you have torn your clothing and wept before Me in contrition, I will listen to your plea. The death of this nation will not occur until after you die – you will not see the evil which I will bring upon this place.”
– 2 Kings 22:18-20
Even the pagans of Nineveh were spared because of their repentance!
Then God spoke to Jonah again: “Go to that great city, Nineveh,” He said, “and warn them of their doom, as I told you to before!” So Jonah obeyed, and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city, with many villages around it – so large that it would take three days to walk through it. But the very first day when Jonah entered the city and began to preach, the people repented. Jonah shouted to the crowds that gathered around him, “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” And they believed him and declared a fast; from the king on down, everyone put on sackcloth – the rough, coarse garments worn at times of mourning. For when the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and laid aside his royal robes and put on sackcloth and sat in ashes. And the king and his nobles sent this message throughout the city: “Let no one, not even the animals, eat anything at all, nor even drink any water. Everyone must wear sackcloth and cry mightily to God, and let everyone turn from his evil ways, from his violence and robbing. Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will decide to let us live, and will hold back His fierce anger from destroying us.” And when God saw that they had put a stop to their evil ways, He abandoned His plan to destroy them, and didn’t carry it through.
– Jonah 3:1-10
There are many other accounts of God’s forgiveness and loving kindness after repentance. Possibly the most notable (again) is the story of David and Bath-sheba. God had punished them severely for their disobedience by taking their infant son, but when David repented…
[Written after Nathan the prophet had come to inform David of God’s judgment against him because of his adultery with Bath-sheba, and his murder of Uriah, her husband.] O loving and kind God, have mercy. Have pity upon me and take away the awful stain of my transgressions. Oh, wash me, cleanse me from this guilt. Let me be pure again. For I admit my shameful deed – it haunts me day and night. It is against You and You alone I sinned, and did this terrible thing. You saw it all, and Your sentence against me is just. But I was born a sinner, yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. You deserve honesty from the heart; yes, utter sincerity and truthfulness. Oh, give me this wisdom. Sprinkle me with the cleansing blood and I shall be clean again. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. And after you have punished me, give me back my joy again. Don’t keep looking at my sins – erase them from Your sight. Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires. Don’t toss me aside, banished forever from Your presence. Don’t take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of Your Salvation, and make me willing to obey You. Then I will teach Your ways to other sinners, and they – guilty like me – will repent and return to You. Don’t sentence me to death. O my God, You alone can rescue me. Then I will sing of Your forgiveness, for my lips will be unsealed – oh, how I will praise You. You don’t want penance; if You did, how gladly I would do it! You aren’t interested in offerings burned before You on the altar. It is a broken spirit You want – remorse and penitence. A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not ignore. And God Almighty, don’t punish Israel for my sins – help Your people and protect Jerusalem. And when my heart is right, then You will rejoice in the good that I do and in the bullocks I bring to sacrifice upon Your altar.”
– Psalm 51
God’s heart softened and He showered David and Bath-sheba with His mercy, forgiveness, and loving kindness by blessing them with another son.
They named him Solomon.
Then David comforted Bath-sheba; and when he slept with her, she conceived and gave birth to a son and named him Solomon. And God loved the baby, and sent congratulations and blessings through Nathan the prophet…
– 2 Samuel 12:24-25
God’s expectations of us
Now let’s pull together all the Scriptural evidence we’ve found and create a summary statement of God’s expectations of us.
God expects us to… know what He has said, and obey His Commands, without question or altercation, regardless of who we are, because God expects to be first in our lives, first in our hearts and minds, first in our actions, and first in our interactions with Him and with others. However, even when we do obey in this manner, we are not assured that adversity will not come; and when adversity does come, we are not to rail against God or our life, but instead we are to go humbly to God for His guidance on our situation, because we do not know better than God, nor do we know what He expects of us individually. And when things go awry and we mess up… again, we are to go humbly to God in repentance because He is eager to forgive and guide us.
And there we have it!
Now we have a Scripturally-based statement of belief that will not only help you find your path in life, but also bring you closer to the one-and-only God that we all long to know.
And as we bring this portion to a close… whether you choose to adopt this statement of faith or not… I ask you…
Are you ready?
Are you ready for His return, and are you in line with your faith, what ever it might be?
Because there are so many pitfalls we can stumble into, dug by false prophets…
“How can you say, ‘we understand His Laws,’ when your teachers have twisted them up to mean a thing I never said?”
– Jeremiah 8:8
that it is imperative for us to take a step back and get a good, hard look at our faith and where we stand spiritually in the world today.
It is My heart’s greatest and most sincerest desire that this journey helps you bring your faith in line with who you truly are… who you are meant to be… because God loves you, and He wants nothing more than the very best for you.
In all your life, you will never be closer to fulfilling your God-given destiny than you are in this moment.
Now that the first step of our journey is complete, there is one more thing left for us to do…
Listen!
ASK God to speak to you, and then Listen!
But we must listen very carefully…
Do you hear Him calling?
I do!
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