12-16-20 THOUGHTS

Well Good Morning loved ones.  What a joy to be up early, alive and in hope.  The blessing of God’s Word is before me as I think of where to take us this morning.  I used a verse within the last week or so that has stuck with me.  
2John 1:9  Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
The “goes too far” wording catches the eye doesn’t it?  The ESV says “who goes on ahead” and the NIV has “who runs ahead and does not continue”.
Many troubling teachings have come from this process.  The Pharisees and Sadducees were born from this problem of the mind.  

Lev 10:1-2   Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. 2  And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
I have heard all kinds of explanations for the above.  I prefer the simple one.  They went too far and did not abide in the teaching of God.  

Ps 19:13  Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous [sins;] Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
2Pet 2:10   speaks of a personality type as follows:   “and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble...”
Num 15:30-31  ‘But the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. 31  ‘Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt will be on him.’"   For “defiantly”, “presumptuously” AV   “with a high hand,” ESV.   We get the idea.
I think of terminology I hear often in our present world   “God doesn’t care if...!”  Who are we to say that God doesn’t care?  God tells us what he cares about.  We need to humbly and lovingly  occupy ourselves with what he tells us.  Aggressiveness on our part when we get near God’s WORD is not wise nor attractive.  We need to have an attitude of humble submissiveness as we approach our awesome God!  That same attitude needs to be maintained as we fellowship among ourselves.  
Prov 1:7    The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

My Prayer:
Give us Oh God fear and reverence for your being.  You are an awesome God, the only true and living God.  Your word is truth.  Help us to desire it as our necessary food.  May we use your word not as a possession,  but as Spirit and life within us.  Take presumption, and the desire to go beyond your word,  from us.  Help us to drive all defiance from ourselves.  
In Jesus Name     Amen