idols and idolatry

TURN CURSES INTO BLESSINGS!

(September 12, 2024) Sam Selva Raj shares concerns and strongly challenges readers…

Deuteronomy 30:19-20a is a very clear declaration by God: ‘I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days!’

  • ‘Set before you’ indicates the choice is ours regarding enjoying the blessings of God. Blessing is Hebrew berakah — ‘valley of blessings.’
  • Even the Oxford Dictionary defines ‘blessing’ as God’s favour and protection. And ‘curse’ as something that causes harm or evil. In other words a cause of trouble and unhappiness.
  • Verse 19 clearly presents the challenge of two ways in which to live — the right way and the wrong.
  • Going God’s way brings blessings; the wrong way disaster… curses!
  • In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus issued this warning: ‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’
(more…)

HOW GREAT IS GOD!

(August 15, 2023) Dr Jim McClure challenges readers… 

Around 3500 years ago something occurred that still impacts our lives today – God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. 

Let me give you a brief background here. After the people of Israel had spent 400 years in Egypt God raised up Moses to lead them out of Egypt. Early in their journey to the Promised Land God gave them the Ten Commandments which are a brief summarise the basic life values which are just as relevant today as they were when God first revealed them to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:1-21).    

While those commandments have repeatedly been broken throughout history, today we are witnessing a deliberate and defiant disregard of them!

As I was reflecting on this and considering how they tell us much about the fallibility of human nature, I was aware that they also reveal something about the breathtaking character of Almighty God.

(more…)