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Devotion Archive

True Faith: Judgement #105
2nd April 2010

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Good Morning Dear Ones,

We have studied MT 7: 1-29 with considerable care from the direct approach. These are Christ's Sermon on the Mount words on judgment. He spoke about: when not to judge others; what judgments can be made; ask, seek, knock; the narrow gate; a tree and its fruit; I never knew you; the two house builders; the authority of Jesus. Then, we looked at the lifestyle of a false teacher in the last couple of weeks, and now it's time to consider some of the verses and passages that discuss the messages of false prophets. The Holy Spirit leads me to begin with JER 6: 14-15 about rebellious Israel. "They act as if My people's wounds were only scratches. 'All is well,' they say, when all is not well. Where they ashamed because they did these disgusting things? No, they were not at all ashamed; they don't even know how to blush. And so they will fall as others have fallen; when I punish them, that will be the end of them. I, the Lord, have spoken." Remember from last week when their lifestyle was described, they were stubborn and refused to listen to God, they insulted, laughed, and mocked those who believe in God, and they tried to make money in dishonest ways-even prophets and priests [JER 6: 10-13]. The Jews of Isaiah's and Jeremiah's times had no excuse, since they had the writing of the Torah available to them, in addition to other OT books. They had access to God and were wasting this blessing with their sinfulness and idolatry.

If we test this lack of godly values against the teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, it comes out as clear rebellion against God. Rather than going to the Lord when problems and temptations arise, these people were flying in the face of His teaching. Can you imagine the degree of God's disappointment when prophets and priests, supposedly dedicated to serving Him, were instead engaging in the lifestyle of false teachers? The example they set in cheating people out of their money was indeed an insult to the Lord, Who was trying to inspire them with the truth and Who was protecting and providing for them! They were not taking the narrow gate which leads to the hard road to eternal life [MT 7: 13-14]. God was about to send these idolaters into the a dyaspora [scattering and loss of nationhood] as punishment. This exile would last from 722 BC in the northern kingdom of Israel, and from 586 BC in the southern kingdom of Judah until 444 BC. Had it not been for a few true believers who preserved the scrolls that later were printed as part of the OT, the entire teaching would have been lost. The books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, and Malachi relate the release from exile, the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, and the restoration of the priesthood [which had been in shambles] that occurred once the first dyaspora was over. This was by no means a smooth and easy process after 160 years for the northern kingdom and 70 years for the southern kingdoms of Israel. JER 25: 11 gives us proof that Jeremiah was told by God that this would happen even before it began. In accordance with the prophecy made in EZK 37: 15-22, the two kingdoms were reunited into one Israel. God's heart, breaking at the rebellion of His people, is exposed in utter rawness in JER 6: 16, "The Lord said to His people, 'Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths and where the best road is. Walk in it, and you will live in peace." But they said, 'No, we will not!'"

We must ask what lessons are present in the relating of this story for us today. And there are plenty! Today, we watch people excluding God from our county's ideals and institutions. We see people working to try to change history, denying that our country was founded on godly beliefs. Of all people we should thank, it would be President Dwight Eisenhauer, not just for his victories on the field of battle in WW II and leading our country through an unprecedented time of peace as its president , but also for adding the words "under God" to our pledge of allegiance. The hedonism of Hollywood and professional sports figures held up as ideals to follow is a great disappointment to our God. The loss of the belief that we have a responsibility to others around us makes it harder to set an example of godly living. Instead, godly living garners scoffing and insults. We all too soon forget 2 PET 2: 14, "They want to look at nothing but immoral women; their appetite for sin is never satisfied. They lead weak people into a trap. Their hearts are trained to be greedy. They are under God's curse!" We must remember 1 PET 4: 14, "Happy are you if you are insulted because you are Christ's followers; this means that the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, is resting on you." How different are today's people than those who looked our Lord Jesus in the face and didn't recognize Him for Who He is? Tough question? You bet it is, but one that needs asking. For it is people who reject God and who make a lifestyle out of sinning that are the ones who have forgotten the great sacrifice of His life that Christ made on the cross, so that mankind could be saved from spiritual death and be given the gift of the Holy Spirit [JN 3: 16; RO 3: 24-25]. We must meditate over this issue and examine our lives without guilt to see how they measure up to the example He set. Ask God for His help, and He will give it to us.

PRAYER: O Lord, we come before Your throne with humility and reverence. We ask You to make Yourself very apparent to us, for us not to mistake Who You are and what You do for us due to the sly teaching of a "wolf in sheep's clothing" [MT 7: 15]. We are reminded of Christ's own words in JN 15: 13-16, "The greatest love a person can have for His friends is to give His life for them. Ad you are My friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because a servant doesn't know what his master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything heard from My Father. You did not choose Me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit that endures. And so the Father will give you whatever you ask of Him in My name." The question asked above about recognizing Who our Lord Jesus is and what He has done for us is one we each have encountered along our path to spiritual maturation. We have also heard much blasphemy, wrongful teaching, empty promises made, and lies from those who reject Him. We honor You and praise You for giving us the protection of the valuable reconnaissance for spiritual warfare You have given us in the Scriptures and in prayer. We turn to You first when matters are doubtful or questions as to its voracity are raised. We thank You for the red flags You place in our minds when lies are told or human extrapolation goes too far. You have promised to tell us the truth and always do. You have told us in 1 PET 3: 15-16, "But have reverence for Christ in your hearts, and honor Him as Lord. Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, but do it with gentleness and respect. Keep your conscience clear, so that when you are insulted, those who speak evil of your good conduct as followers of Christ will become ashamed of what they say." What more could we need to remain in line with Your truth? A million times we say, "thank and praise You forever, for the love You show us!" In Christ's holy and mighty name, we pray. Amen.

Next week: We'll look at JER 23: 21-40. Jeremiah was not above repeating the words of JER 6: 14-15 in JER 8: 8-12. We must remember when God gives the same words or ideas more than once, He repeats them for emphasis. We should value them as important. Both times, rebellious Jews were warned that their lands and vineyards would be placed by God in the hands of enemies. Still they didn't listen. In the second passage, we are told that dishonest scribes have changed God's laws. Are we not seeing this same thing happen today with new laws, allowing things formerly considered illegal sins to no longer be? If mankind was half as creative in solving society's problems as they are in rationalizing sin, it would be a much better world than it is. Can you imagine how God felt when Ezekiel saw the vision of the Jerusalem temple from his exile in the Chebar canal area in Babylon? Ezekiel was allowed to see the hole in the wall of the temple from the outer courtyard. EZK 8: 8-11a,12, "Mortal man, break through the wall here." I broke through it and found a door. He told me, 'Go in and look at the evil, disgusting things they are doing there.' So I went in and looked. The walls were covered with drawing of snakes and other unclean animals, and of the other things which the Israelites were worshipping. Seventy Israelite leaders were there...They are all worshipping in a room full of images. Their excuse was the Lord doesn't see us! He has abandoned the country.'" We have reason to believe that Ezekiel had access to Jeremiah's teaching. We do not have to choose to live our lives resting on a tissue of lies, half-truths, and innuendos. We do not have to choose to be deceived, for all we must do is recognize the importance of daily time with God's word and an active two-way communication with God in prayer- prayer in which He gets to speak first. Praise and thanks be to God!

Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn

© Lynn Johnson 2012. All Rights Reserved.

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