June 29 No Contest

Monday, June 29, 2009

“No Contest”

Elijah said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today." So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah. When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is this you, you troubler of Israel?" He said, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and you have followed the Baals. "Now then send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, together with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table." 1 Kings 15:18-19.

I enjoy watching boxing, but for the guys who are attempting to beat one another into submission….however, they are absolutely NUTS!! One of the two men in the fabled ring will always win by points or by knockout. If the win is ultimately because one of the two is unable to continue the contest or left in the hands of the judges, there will be a winner. However, not all of these matches are decided by unanimous decisions, the judges are split over their final decisions. Others, however, are by Unanimous Decisions and this leads to the next statement(s). Look at the Ancient Record, the Scriptures contained in Holy Writ.

Have you not noticed that those who are in favor of those who are in places of enormous responsibility are repudiating the Name of God? Not only are they forsaking God, but they are making it more and more difficult for those of us who name Jesus Christ as Lord. For them I say, “There is going to be HELL to pay one day.” And I am not going to be in their company, “Praise is to the King of Kings, the Governor of the ages!”

These poor people who are making jokes of the God of the Universe, Jehovah God, will one day pay the consequences for what they are doing. These folks are mostly blaming the Christian Community for all of the problems that are facing our Nation and are also saying that our Nation has outgrown the foundations upon which this Government “by the people and for the people” was founded. And I find it remarkable that the same was being said of Elijah when he retorted, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and you have followed the Baals.”

After the smoke had cleared (read the account in 1 Kings 15) and the contest between a god that never lived and the Living God of Creation, we can objectively rule the event “No Contest”, God is the winner by a resounding KNOCK OUT!!

And in the end, those who are committed to following His Son, Jesus Christ, are the recipients of His amazing grace. These are the Remnant so often spoken of in God’s Holy Word. These are the Remnant that have chosen the gift of God’s Grace that is offered, not because of our works, but because of an extreme measure of faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. No matter the grief that we who follow Him are presently enduring...to some degree….because of the blind ignorance of pride of those in governance. “In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.”

I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? "Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE." But what is the divine response to him? "I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL." In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; just as it is written, "GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY." And David says, "LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM. "LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER." I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Romans 11:1-11.

Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound....Jesus is Lord….No Contest!!