imported_rachel
01-30-2007, 04:33 PM
The Spiritual decline of God's chosen people in the Old Testament
includes some of the saddest passages in the Bible. God dearly loved
the children of Israel, but they continually rejected Him and turned
away.
God appointed King David to unite the nation and focus their worship
on the One True God. David made plans for the construction of a
temple and King Solomon built the temple a few years later. But
toward the end of Solomon's reign, "his heart was not fully devoted
to the Lord his God" (1 Kings 11:4). The Spiritual decline began
with the leadership and then flowed quickly down to the people.
When Solomon died, the nation of Israel divided and the northern
kingdom immediately began to pervert their worship: "The king made
two golden calves {and said} 'Here are your gods'" (1 Kings
12:28). After almost 200 years of continual disobedience, the
northern kingdom had hardened their hearts so that repentance was no
longer even possible; "their deeds do not permit them to return to
God" (Hosea 5:4). God is ready, willing, and able to forgive every
sin; but continual disobedience removes the desire to draw near and
seek His forgiveness. After so many years of false worship, the
people would not return to God and would now experience His wrath.
Hosea 8:7
"They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind."
The people of Israel had planted evil seeds into their lives and the
lives of their families for many years - now the time had come to
harvest the destruction they had planted. Soon after Hosea spoke
these words of God, the Assyrian army invaded and destroyed the
northern kingdom.
God demonstrated His love for us long before we ever loved Him;
"while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). This
love was unconditional love since we did absolutely nothing to
deserve His favor. But if we do not receive His love, through faith
in the sacrifice of Jesus, and allow His Spirit to begin to transform
us from within, we too will one day feel His wrath.
The wind of unbelief and lack of trust, false worship and a cold
heart, will one day yield an eternal whirlwind which cannot be
stopped. And the wind of open sin in the lives of Spiritual leaders,
or the Spiritual compromise in the lives of parents, can lead many
generations down a path of destruction.
Let's plant and nourish seeds of truth and love which will thrive in
His presence for all eternity. Let's trust Him with a faith which
walks into the unknown without fear because we know He is by our
side. Let's determine once and for all to live an uncompromising
life which brings glory and honor to God; and on the great day of
harvest, let's joyfully enter His embrace without reaping the
whirlwind.
Have a Great Day!
Steve Troxel
God's Daily Word Ministries
************************************************** ***
Archive of previous devotions : http://www.gdwm.org/archive06.htm
Subscribe/Unsubscribe by email to closerwalk@gdwm.org
Subscribe via web: http://www.gdwm.org/subscribe.htm
includes some of the saddest passages in the Bible. God dearly loved
the children of Israel, but they continually rejected Him and turned
away.
God appointed King David to unite the nation and focus their worship
on the One True God. David made plans for the construction of a
temple and King Solomon built the temple a few years later. But
toward the end of Solomon's reign, "his heart was not fully devoted
to the Lord his God" (1 Kings 11:4). The Spiritual decline began
with the leadership and then flowed quickly down to the people.
When Solomon died, the nation of Israel divided and the northern
kingdom immediately began to pervert their worship: "The king made
two golden calves {and said} 'Here are your gods'" (1 Kings
12:28). After almost 200 years of continual disobedience, the
northern kingdom had hardened their hearts so that repentance was no
longer even possible; "their deeds do not permit them to return to
God" (Hosea 5:4). God is ready, willing, and able to forgive every
sin; but continual disobedience removes the desire to draw near and
seek His forgiveness. After so many years of false worship, the
people would not return to God and would now experience His wrath.
Hosea 8:7
"They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind."
The people of Israel had planted evil seeds into their lives and the
lives of their families for many years - now the time had come to
harvest the destruction they had planted. Soon after Hosea spoke
these words of God, the Assyrian army invaded and destroyed the
northern kingdom.
God demonstrated His love for us long before we ever loved Him;
"while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). This
love was unconditional love since we did absolutely nothing to
deserve His favor. But if we do not receive His love, through faith
in the sacrifice of Jesus, and allow His Spirit to begin to transform
us from within, we too will one day feel His wrath.
The wind of unbelief and lack of trust, false worship and a cold
heart, will one day yield an eternal whirlwind which cannot be
stopped. And the wind of open sin in the lives of Spiritual leaders,
or the Spiritual compromise in the lives of parents, can lead many
generations down a path of destruction.
Let's plant and nourish seeds of truth and love which will thrive in
His presence for all eternity. Let's trust Him with a faith which
walks into the unknown without fear because we know He is by our
side. Let's determine once and for all to live an uncompromising
life which brings glory and honor to God; and on the great day of
harvest, let's joyfully enter His embrace without reaping the
whirlwind.
Have a Great Day!
Steve Troxel
God's Daily Word Ministries
************************************************** ***
Archive of previous devotions : http://www.gdwm.org/archive06.htm
Subscribe/Unsubscribe by email to closerwalk@gdwm.org
Subscribe via web: http://www.gdwm.org/subscribe.htm