"Rock of Ages" -2

"The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah." (Psalms 75:3) Besides the fact that everything and everyone we know is physically dying, what other proof do we need that trying to hold onto this life is worthless? It really can't be any clearer than that! Now, just when you thought things were taking a change, there is always something else to throw us back towards the ground; just when you think good things might happen, your hopes were placed upon the wrong god, a god that you have set up for your protection that is not the God who protects you. Do you catch my meaning? It is hard not to find ourselves doing it, because it's they way we were raised. They told us from the time we were born, "Always be prepared for something else; and don't put all of your eggs in one basket." No one was trying to make us unfaithful or cause us to take our eyes off of the goal; they were just trying to get us to diversify our options. Unfortunately, many times those other options become other gods we have set up to replace the God that wants us to trust in Him alone. Okay, for the respect of time, let me cut to the chase. "The earth and all the inhabitants," is really speaking about one particular subject, those that make their dwelling place this earth. In other words, where you call home! Long story short, if you are calling this place home, you are holding onto something that is being "dissolved!" In other words, it's melting away, and there is really nothing there for you to hold onto! I know it's hard to make the adjustment; especially if you have placed most, if not all of your eggs into the wrong basket; but if you are putting your trust in any other thing but God, you are setting yourself up for a great disappointment. Those "pillars" that God bears up have a couple different meanings, because they also speak of pillars of smoke or fire. Sure, there is an actual Destroyer, and he has some pretty powerful weapons; but God is the one who gives him the weapons; there is nothing that is made which God has not created, absolutely nothing! James refers to this condition as being "double-minded" and "unstable" in all your ways, (James 1:8). I know he is speaking about asking in faith, but there are reasons we lack the faith to ask properly, reasons that James spells out in the rest of his letter. These are things like, enduring tests, believing that God's word saves you, having respect for others, knowing that your faith must act, controlling your words, knowing that wisdom comes from God, not loving this world, not judging others, God's will above your own, not putting trust in riches, and being patient; everything in that order, it is all the stuff that we let dictate our passions and true desires, and things that do because we are double-minded and unstable...
"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with double loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do." (James 1:2-8) NLT