Devotion Thoughts - 25/06/2011

2 Kings 9:14-37. 2 Kings 10:1-31
The LORD said to Jehu, "You have done well. ... You destroyed Ahab's family the way I wanted you to... " (10:30)...But Jehu was not careful to follow the law of the LORD with all his heart. Jehu did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam that caused Israel to sin. (10:31). (ERV).

Ahab's dynasty started with murder and the usurping of the throne of Israel, and ended the same way, with Jehu wiping out Ahab's family. Ahab's family murdered the Lord's servants (9:7), and made the deliberate choice to be idol worshippers. God saw that there was no point in allowing them to continue in their evil ways.

Acts 17:1-34
God began by making one man, and from him he made all the different people who live everywhere in the world. He decided exactly when and where they would live (v26,ERV).
It is through him that we are able to live, to do what we do, and to be who we are. ...'We all come from him.' (v.28,ERV).

Having created us, God has a right to use us as He sees fit. It is up to each individual to realise this, and to make the most of the situation. Having given us His Word for our guidance, it pays us to get to know what He wants of us and to fit in with Him. And to those who give Him their all He gives His best - eternal life with Him in the wonderful new heaven and earth that will replace the spoiled earth we currently live in.

Psalm 144:1-15
LORD, why are people important to you? Why do you even notice us? (v3,ERV).

Those are interesting questions. As we read through the Bible we find the answer very simple: God made us because He wants to have fellowship with us. But because of Satan the serpent, Adam and Eve were enticed into sin, a condition inherited by their descendants, all of mankind. A holy God does not fellowship with unholy people, so God made a plan by which we can become holy: believe in Jesus for salvation and cleansing. Forgiven sins are gone forever, making us holy, and enabling God to fellowship with us. That is why we are important to Him!

---

Powered by Zoundry Raven

God never forgot His covenant with Israel

Jeremiah 24:5-7


It's a bad thing when we lose everything, right? Not necessarily. It depends on what we are in God's eyes.


In 586 BC Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians (2 Kings 25:10). The temple was destroyed, Jerusalem sacked, and many of the prominent people taken into captivity. Why had God allowed it to happen? Because of the sin and disobedience that prevailed amongst the people.


Normally such a misfortune would mean the end of the nation. In this case, however, the nation was Israel, the people God chose to carry His message to the world. He had a covenant agreement with them, and He intended to keep it.


A brief look at those who were left behind. They were of poorer quality than those who were taken to Babylon in exile. In time they intermarried with the conquerors and other nationalities in the country, ultimately forming the part-Jewish people known as the Samaritans. They were not allowed to share in the rebuilding of Jerusalem, nor were they considered to be heirs of the covenant.


The problem God had with Israel was the idol worship and the prevalence of sin. This had to stop, which is why God made Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon His instrument for the punishment of Israel. Those who went into exile were the cream of the nation. God's purpose was that the best of the nation be be protected in Babylon and, after seventy years, to miraculously bring them back to Israel.


While in Babylon, they learned that He alone is to be honoured as God. (Since returning from exile the Jews have never reverted to the making and worshipping of idols).


A good analogy is to perceive the nation of Israel as representing individual believers. Although a born again believer, one of God's 'chosen', I also had a period of 'backsliding'. My 'exile' from fellowship with God lasted six years - years of confusion and despair, wrongly thinking I had committed the unpardonable sin. The very day I realised there was a way back to God I acknowledged my sin and asked Him for forgiveness. This He readily granted, and I gladly returned to fellowship with Him once again.


Most Jews don't realise there is a 'New Covenant' between God and man, including the Jews. Since the sacking of Jerusalem in 70AD there have not been any sacrifices in the Temple; that has not mattered, for God sacrificed His only Son Jesus, to bring in this New Covenant. We now become sons and daughters of God through Jesus Christ, Whose sacrificial death paid for all our sins. All we have to do now is believe in Jesus alone for our salvation. This requires that we acknowledge our sinfulness and ask God to forgive us. He will gladly wash away all our sins making us a fit habitation for Himself, come into our hearts, and help us to serve Him for the rest of our days.


What a pleasure!

---

Devotion Thoughts - 17/04/2011

Deut 15:1-63


The boundaries for the tribes were clearly delineated. In some cases, as for Caleb, the tribe or clan had still to drive out the Canaanites who lived there. As for the Jebusites who lived at Jebus (the earlier name for Jerusalem), they clung there until defeated by David.


Believers also have to fight for their place in heaven (John 14:3), but this fight takes place here on earth before we die, and is against spiritual, not earthly, foes (Ephesians 6:12). Jesus has a home waiting for us, adding that He will come back for us and take us to live there. All we need to do for it to happen is to trust Him.


Luke 18:18-43


Jesus did not say He was not good; He simply stated that only God is good. The point He made was that no man is good; all are sinners, even those who thought they kept all the commandments. Two commandments are implied in the Ten Commandments: love for God; and, love for neighbours.


Paul wrote that the love of money causes sin (1 Timothy 6:10). Because the rich young ruler loved his money, he neither kept all the commandments (as he thought) nor did he love God and his (poor) neighbour. Take care how we rate ourselves, for we might also be falling short of God's demands.


Many prayers are too vague, such as, 'Lord, have mercy on me'. With God we must be specific. It is not enough to hope that God will 'have mercy' at the Judgment; we must ask Him to forgive our sins and be our Saviour. That request will be granted, and we will then not have to fear the Judgment!


Psalm 86:1-17


David could refer to himself as holy because, with all his heart, he called on God daily for forgiveness, and wanted God to teach him to walk in truth.


If we are as determined and passionate as David was in seeking to live for God we will also be people 'after God's own heart' (1 Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22).


Proverbs 13:9-10


Put another way: righteousness shall reign and wickedness shall be stamped out. Pride makes us fight for our 'rights'; it is about self-righteousness, not righteousness.

---