The picture above has been my log in screen on my laptop for almost ten years. Most believers in God thank Him before eating a meal but God says, “after you have eaten and are full, Bless God for His Goodness to you.”
This morning’s Bible study has brought the thought to mind that we should not put God in a box. Many Christians do that in ways like, “if I do A+B+C, God has to do Y.” Y (why) in the world does God have to do anything unless He chooses too?
The train of thought of “Don’t Put God In A Box” began when I read the first of 4 Bible verses and devotionals that I read every day to study God’s Word, This was it,
Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
2 Samuel 7:22 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/2sa.7.22.KJV
Sometimes, after reading a scripture of the day, I feel the need to find the context that the verse was taken so I go and read the entire chapter. This verse was one. In it King David tells Nathan the prophet that he wants to “build God a house of cedar,” my mind thought, “a wooden box.” God speaks to Nathan that night and says tell David,
2 Samuel 7:5-7 “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ”
As my mind is thinking, “Don’t Put God In A Box,” the next verses answers why God doesn’t want to be in a box.
8 Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth.
When Saul, then David was anointed as king over Israel, the Spirit of God came upon them. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit did come upon certain men like the prophets and ones God chose but was not available to any true believer as it is today. Jesus made the way, “Waymaker” for that and explained it here,
The Holy Spirit Promised (Joel 2:28-32; John 14:15-26; Acts 2:1-13; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 19:1-7)
John 16:5-11 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
From Genesis to Revelation, God has gone about moving His people from the “natural to the Spiritual.” From the “seen to the unseen.” From the Law written on stone, to His Law written on the heart of man. I can’t take credit for understanding that concept on my own. I learned about it in Pastor B.H. Clendennen’s School of Christ teaching on “Pneumatology.” God, since creation has wanted all His children to have a Spiritual relationship with Him. Jesus said we must worship God ” in spirit and truth.” He doesn’t want us to “Put Him In A Box” and come by to peek in on Him once a week if you get my drift. God wants to “Tabernacle,” dwell in his people as He was with David when He said, “9 And I have been with you wherever you have gone,”
https://intheword.blog/2019/11/26/david-pitched-a-tent-as-did-jesus/
King David asks God the most profound question that EVERY true believer in God, the LORD Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit should ask,
David’s Thanksgiving to God
2 Samuel 7:18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?
When I deeply ponder that profound question I am left awestruck by God’s immense Love, Compassion and ABILITY to Forgive Sin. I can say like the Apostle Paul, “I was the chief of sinners.” BUT God SAVER me anyway, from myself by Giving me His Holy Spirit to teach me a better way to live. That never happened all the years I kept God in a box called “church” where I went to peek in on Him once a week.
Last week as I talked to my Dad about how some churches were cancelling services I told him, “if going to church is the only relationship a person has with God, they don’t really have one.”
That thought brings me to the pic at the top of the post from Deuteronomy 8:10. When I got to another daily scripture, this time from Tecarta it said this,
Deuteronomy 8:18 KJV
But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
https://tbibl.es/9fnM
Again, I decided to go and read the chapter to get the context of the verse. Honestly, I didn’t link that verse with the one I look at every time I log onto my laptop.
Deuteronomy 8 – All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers.
2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.
4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.
6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
7 For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
9 A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
20 As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.
The Voice of the LORD God is still speaking to everyone in the world today by His Holy Spirit and the Word of God, “man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.” Most of the world can’t hear the Voice of God and gives little or no time to study and know the Word of God. A large part of the world doesn’t want to have anything to do with God so He allows things to happen that isn’t His Perfect Will for mankind. The Book of Revelation told us that perilous times would come upon the world in the “Last Days,” DON’T act surprised.
In every individual, it brings a test, “to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart,” “that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee,”
No matter who you are, saint or sinner, God is watching you to see how will you fare in this test of “social distancing” that the world has undertaken. Has it brought you closer to God? If so, you can claim this verse for a very good reason,
Romans 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
You see, it got you to put a little more of God where He Really wants to Always be, in your heart and mind, NOT In A Box, even a box called Church, even one with “cedar walls” like David wanted to make. God still wants to Live in a “Skin Tent,” (2 Corinthians 5:1) yours!!!
This Covid 19 thing, alone with all the other trials of life we go through has at least one purpose. It should make you think about where you will spend eternity. For that reason alone, it’s a Good Thing in the “all things” we live through life.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
Psalm 90:1-6, 12 Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
3 You turn man to destruction, And say, “Return, O children of men.” 4 For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night.
5 You carry them away like a flood; They are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up: 6 In the morning it flourishes and grows up; In the evening it is cut down and withers.
12 So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
20 As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.
In The Word 