(See Part 1)
A JEALOUS GOD
In describing God as jealous: “The word describes the ardent, protective zeal Yahweh displays toward His covenant people and His own honor. Rather than suggesting petty envy, it portrays the intensity with which God safeguards the exclusivity of the relationship He established through covenant. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7067.htm
God doesn’t do well with those who declare Him to be their god but are only half-hearted about it. As He said to the Church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:15-16), “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” (nasb) Man-oh-man, that’s strong! Unpleasant sounding, too.
To be clear, He does not require our perfection, but He does require us to be sincere about making Him Lord in a way that shapes all of our life, and THAT requires the deliberate, ongoing process of sanctification as we increasingly surrender to His non-negotiables.
Question: Is God big enough or powerful enough, or has He done enough for us that He deserves that place in our life, or is He acting like an insecure bully? Is it okay for us to ignore Him like we tell our kids to ignore the bully at school?
Jesus the Gentle Shepherd said; “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 niv) Does that last phrase cause us concern for the Church in America today?
And in v21 He adds, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” How negotiable does THAT sound? Does it move us to humbly pray Psalm 139:23-24 or are we satisfied that we and those we love have checked enough boxes to be on God’s good side?
Next: #3, THE BIG QUESTION
Ken Stoltzfus
Kidron, Ohio USA
April 24, 2026
Printable pdf at: www.10minas.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/26-16.pdf