Jezebel was the ruthless Queen and wife of King Ahab, who during her reign had forced Baal worship on Israel. But instead of hiding in fear when she heard he was coming after her, the brazen Jezebel chose to flaunt and attempt to intimidate King Jehu. But Jehu was on God’s mission, and when he yelled up, “Who’s on my side?” He really meant, “Who’s on the Lord’s side?” For as it says in Psalm 94:16, ” Who will rise up for Me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for Me against evildoers?” The world would like us to think we are powerless and impotent against the evil today…but look who God used here to rid Israel of this wicked woman…not powerful palace guards, but eunuchs.
Category: daily devotional
James 2: 12-13 ” Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the Law that gives freedom, because judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgement.”
From the Beatitudes we learn that, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matthew 5:7) Take that thought along with the Scripture here in James and we can understand a little better that our faith is empty when we are unmerciful. For if you think about it…we must show mercy in the same way as God has shown mercy to us.
Job 36: 5 ” God is mighty, but does not despise men; He is mighty, and firm in His purpose.”
God does not lie, nor ever will He change His mind. (Numbers 23:19) His gifts and His call on your life is irrevocable.(Romans 11:29) It’s us that sabotage and deliberately destroy His plan and purpose for our life by being disobedient and obstinate. But the good thing is…even when we mess up, God won’t turn His back on us…and He won’t reject or ridicule our earnest pleas. (Psalm 102:17) And in the end, God can still work all things for the good of those who love Him, and have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Romans 14:10 ” You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we all stand before God’s judgement seat.”
If I would take to heart this verse and Matthew 7:2, “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged…” you’d think I would stop judging others. It’s not that I voice my opinion loudly and rudely or treat others with contempt to their face…no, my condemnation is silent, covert, and secretive. But regardless, yes, I still judge, and judge harshly…quickly jumping to conclusions before actually hearing all the details. Other times, I form an opinion when I really have no right to…or I pass a verdict just for sport. Either way, it’s wrong and something I really need to work on…how about you?
Isaiah 42:18 ” Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see! “
We all spend our lives searching for it. But when we’re confounded with it, we usually don’t like what we hear or see. What is it you ask? It’s the Truth. The truth is sobering, straightforward, and serious. It’s what we don’t want to hear or see, so instead, we play mind games with ourselves, pretending it doesn’t exist. But the truth will remain the truth, regardless of what we want to think…and God is really good at revealing it to us. What we have to do then… is accept it.
Isaiah 64:4 ” No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
God has promised a crown of life to those who endure trials. But when we find ourselves in the middle of a life altering trial, it’s too easy to walk in unbelief. But unfortunately, the maturing of our faith comes most times in the valleys not the mountain-tops. For it’s in the dark, scary valleys that we come to the end of ourselves and finally look to God.
James 3:2 ” We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.”
As the verse says, we all stumble. And it’s absurd to say anything else. For we all have deficiencies and shortcomings. And as Romans 3:9-20 echoes Psalm 14:1-3…there is no one that is righteous. For if we are unable to keep a tight rein on our tongue, how do we think we could keep our whole body in check?
Romans 12:18 ” If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
This verse is very specific in two points. The first relates to our responsibility in potentially volatile interactions. We are the only person that can control our own emotions, and what rests on us here in this verse is the obligation and charge to live at peace with others. The other point is that we can’t pick and chose who we live at peace with, for it states here we are to live peaceable with all human beings to the very best of our ability.
I Chronicles 29:11 ” Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the Kingdom; You are exalted as head over all.”
Great and mighty is Your name, O Lord, for Your magnificent glory is on display for all to see. We thank you today for Your love and mercy…and praise You for all You’ve done for us. We lift Your name on high, for only You rule and reign over heaven and earth. Amen.
Mark 8:34 ” Then He called the crowd to Him along with His disciples and said: ‘If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’ “
Christianity isn’t a one and done experience. For in this verse we see Jesus didn’t address just the crowd but His disciples also…men that had been following Him for years…men that had witnessed first hand miracles, teaching, and preaching on a daily basis. Men that should have had this concept down pat…but obviously didn’t. Our journey as a Believer is ongoing and lifelong. It’s a daily conscious decision of our Will to give up our self and in obedience conform to the example we have before us…Jesus Christ. It’s a long and winding road of faith and life we need to daily direct our feet to follow.
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