Make a Choice: God or Destruction

New Guest: Most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that label.

Thursday, December 18, 2008
Devotions: Ps 33, 50; Isa 9:18-10:4; 2 Pet 2:10b-16; Mt 3:1-12

Praise God with all your skill! He and His word are straight and true. Music springs from God—let us return it to him with all our ability. All creation is His. He loves righteousness and justice; the universe overflows with the steadfast love of YHWH. Let all creatures stand in awe of our Creator God; He is the Source; He brings the counsel of the nations to nought. Blessed is the nation whose god is YHWH, and the people he has chosen as His heritage. He watches over us; our victories are by His might. He protects and blesses us. Lord, let Your steadfast love be upon us, even as we hope in You! The Mighty One summons the sun; beauty shines forth from Him. He gathers His faithful ones to Himself. He confronts us: ‘I need no sacrifice from you—everything, everywhere, is already Mine! Offer Me what I want: your thanks, your honest pledges, and your needs. I will deliver you and sustain you, and you shall glorify Me!’ And to the wicked, God says, ‘You have no right to recite My statutes or My covenant. You hate discipline; you ignore My words; you befriend thieves and the unfaithful. You run your mouths in evil and deceitful ways. You slander and criticize others. To those who rightly order their ways, I will show God’s salvation.’ Amen.

God’s wrath and the fires of wickedness--both char the land. Woe to those who make ungodly laws and to writers who express oppression. To whom will you flee for help? Crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain!

Peter writes: Angels are less presumptuous than mortals, who revile the glorious ones. These humans face death and destruction; they are blots on God’s creation, adulterous eyes, insatiable for sin. They are trained in greed and tempt the unsteady. Forsaking the right way, they have followed the ways of Balaam, who sought ill-gotten gain but was rebuked by a lowly donkey!

Matthew also writes about John the Baptizer: He came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight!’ John was dressed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt; and he ate locusts and wild honey [cf 2 Ki 1:8; Mk 1:6]. Many went out to him from Jerusalem and Judea and all around the Jordan; and they were baptized by John in the river, having confessed their sins. John confronted the Pharisees and Sadducees who came: ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? Bear fruit fitting to repentance. Don’t presume to say "We have Abraham as our father.” For I tell you, God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. Right now, the axe is laid to the root of the trees; and every tree that doesn’t bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance; but He who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor. The wheat He will gather into the granary, but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire!’