To be religiousreligious or spiritualspiritual is not the same as having a relationshiprelationship with Almighty God.

1August 8, 2010

There is One God,The True and Living

God,The God of the Bible.We must serve and worship Him in the PowerPower and AnointingAnointing

of His Holy Spirit,

According toAccording to the Word of God.

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An Israelite named Micah stole 1100 shekels of silver from his mama.

"may whoever stole my money die with the foot rot"Or something like that.

Micah had turned his home into a temple, supposedlysupposedly worshipping

God, but using idolsidols and religious artifactsreligious artifacts.

He appointed his son as priest.

Judges 17

7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-Judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. 8 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehem-Judah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

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This young Levite was JonathanJonathan, the grandson of Moses, through Gershom.

He was of the Tribe of Levi, but not eligiblenot eligible to be a priest; they had to be

descended from Aarondescended from Aaron.

He was a traveling mantraveling man, living with the clan of Judah

in Bethlehemin Bethlehem for a while,

But now on the road againon the road again, and looking for a job.

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There have always been restless soulsrestless souls, seeking contentmentseeking contentment but finding none.

The only contentmentonly contentment to be found is found in a right relationship with the Lord AlmightyLord Almighty,

Through His SonHis Son, Jesus Christ.

9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem-Judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.

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He was looking for his placehis place, but would never find it outsideoutside of the Will of God.

They don't know itdon't know it, but every restless soul is looking for his place in God's PlanGod's Plan.

10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.

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Room and board, nice clothes, plus ten shekels of silver per year.

What more could a man want!

He found his place, because that's allthat's all he was

seeking.He didn't knowknow or love Godlove God.

A comfortable living will notwill not bring contentment, until we are doingdoing what God had gifted usgifted us to do.

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People suppose that gain is godlinessgain is godliness;

In other words, that if they are making moneymaking money and have plentyhave plenty, God is blessing themGod is blessing them.

"I workwork and paypay my bills; I'm a godly mangodly man."

But godliness with contentment is great gain.But godliness with contentment is great gain.

1 Timothy 6:3-8

When we are walking in God's Will:

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2 Corinthians 5 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

We will have God's blessingGod's blessing of true true contentmentcontentment.

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His Good Will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

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Trust and obey, for there’s no other wayTo be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

This kind of Christian living will curecure a restless soul.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,But His smile quickly drives it away;Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,Can abide while we trust and obey.

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Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,But our toil He doth richly repay;Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,But is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love

Until allUntil all on the altar we lay;For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,Are for them who willwho will trust and obey.

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Then in fellowship sweetfellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.Or we’ll walk by His sideHis side in the way.

What He saysHe says we will do, where He sendsHe sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey.Words: John H. Sammis, 1887.Music: Daniel B. Towner

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/r/trstobey.htm

11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons. 12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

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Micah set Jonathan aside as hishis priest,

But he was never God'sGod's priest.

Never lose sight of the Never lose sight of the difference!difference!We will see in chapter 18 that his contentment

was notwas not a lasting peace.He got a better offer, became a thief, and left.

13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.

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A false priest in a false temple,

And Micah thinks God will bless him for it.

This was not longnot long after the death of JoshuaJoshua, and look how far the Israelites have strayedhave strayed from God.

Drawing nighDrawing nigh to God may take a lifetime,

But backslidingbacksliding doesn't take long at all.

Micah was spiritualspiritual, but he was notnot a godly man.

He wanted a templetemple with priestspriests.

When a LeviteLevite came along, he hired him,

Like a good-luck charmgood-luck charm.

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So are all people who worship false gods.

Whatever they seekseek and follow afterfollow after,They would credit their godtheir god with their success.

We must always be wary of superstitionsbe wary of superstitions that get mixed with Christianity.

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Material things do not have Power from God in them.

Splinters from cross of Christ Bones of saints

Holy grail

"Send us money and God will make you richmake you rich."

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"Send us money and we will send you a hanky that healshanky that heals."

My point is this:

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John 4 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in SpiritSpirit and in TruthTruth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 24 God God isis a Spirit: and they that a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in worship Him must worship Him in SpiritSpirit and in and in TruthTruth. . 25 The woman saith unto Him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when He is come, He will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am He.

During the time of the Judges, Israel strayed far from God through disobedience.

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We must knowknow the Scriptures and walkwalk in Them, in the PowerPower of God's Holy Spirit.

There isis nothing more, and we must settlesettle for nothing less. This is God's BestGod's Best.

John 17 17 Sanctify them through Thy Truth: Thy Word is Truth.

Jesus prayed for us: