God does not desire nor does He delight in the eternal damnation of the wicked. He has given all of us a free will to chose our own actions and behaviors, but in this verse God is imploring us to reconsider our choices…and sadly, the consequences that come along with them.
Tag: daily devotional
Revelation 3:3 ” Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent.”
What was John telling the Church in Sardis they needed to remember? It was the Gospel Message…the Good News of Jesus. We should never discount or dismiss the wonder-working power of the Gospel. For within its message is the Holy Spirit at work in hearts and minds. And when we hear and receive the Good News, it’s then our responsibility to obey and repent. For true repentance is a moral reorientation of our soul…a acknowledging of the error of our ways and a turning towards truth and righteousness…of turning to God.
Job 41:11 ” Who has a claim against Me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to Me.”
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” (Psalm 24:1) So look around you today…God has made everything you see, smell, touch, hear, and taste. And He is under no obligation to anyone for this creative work. For God is totally and absolutely self-sufficient.
Galatians 5:15 ” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”
There’s nothing sadder than internal division and strife within a Church. For Satan doesn’t need to attack from outside the walls when he can use the Body of Believers to annihilate each other. This cautionary verse tells us to be on guard against murmuring, back biting, and back stabbing which can only lead to ruin.
Psalm 7:14 ” He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment.”
Let’s get this straight…God does not tempt us. Instead, our own evil desires do a really good job of that. And it’s when we allow our own deceptive imaginings to fester and grow, that sin has a foothold. You might call this day-dreaming…part pleasant reverie, part suggestive fantasy…but all of it giving rise to deception and lies in our thought life. And whenever you allow your day-dreaming to “go there”…whatever that is for you, you’re being tempted to give in to sinful thinking. That’s when we need to stop and remember II Corinthians 10:5, which cautions us to take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.
Hebrews 10: 11-12 ” Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.”
Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest who became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him…(Hebrews 5:9) No longer did we have to keep offering the same sacrifices to remove our sins…for the truth is we can’t on our own abolish our sins…only the blood of Jesus can once, for all, do that.
II Kings 9: 30-32 ” Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she painted her eyes, arranged her hair and looked out of a window. As Jehu entered the gate, she asked. ‘Have you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?’ He looked up at the window and called out, ‘Who is on my side? Who?’ Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. ‘Throw her down!’ Jehu said. So they threw her down…”
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.
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?
Safetypinlove 