Sadly, I begin by quoting Erin's opening statement from last week, "So here we are, stuck in the drama of the kings." I find the stories of the kings quite tragic. The kings consistently chase after other gods, leading their people to continue to sin. Each king is evaluated on the basis of his faithfulness (or lack of) in God. Most of the kings do what is evil in the Lord's sight rather than pleasing Him. Jehoahaz is a good example. 2 Kings 13:6 reveals the truth that the kings as well as God's people continually refuse to be free on God's terms. It says, "But they continued to sin, following the evil example of Jeroboam. They also allowed the Asherah pole in Samaria to remain standing." We can learn a couple of significant lessons that continually present themselves in our reading.
1) The leaders of God's people must choose to follow God with a whole heart not just for their own benefit, but also because the people WILL follow their leadership.
We've been members of several churches over the years and as I reflected on those memberships, I was amazed to realize that the life and ministry of each church took on the life and attitudes of the pastor and staff. I have especially been aware of this truth in our current church. As our pastor has challenged us over the last two years, there has been what I guess you could call a complete overhaul of the church. God has pruned, weeded, and added to the congregation. To think that my walk with the Lord could have such an influence is both humbling and frightening. How many leaders have led members of their flocks to stray because they themselves were in bondage? Leaders have a greater responsibility to make liberty in Christ a reality in life, because the quality of the lives following them is at risk. It is our responsibility, however, to constantly test our leadership to make sure what they teach is Biblical.
2) In order to consistently walk in the freedom of Jesus Christ, we must discipline ourselves to study God's Word, pray and read godly books that help us walk in freedom. Meditating on Scripture and memorizing God's Word are both great tools that help as well. Of course being an active part of the church is very important to our growth. However, it is dangerous to depend upon our pastor and leaders to provide our total spiritual nourishment. We need more than a leader on our road to freedom. We need a Savior. We need Jesus Christ to save us not only from eternal separation from God, but also to continue His saving work in us for the rest of our lives. Over the years, I have found no other way to grow as a child of God than to actively digest His Word and allow God to use it to have His way with me.
I was sharing with Amy last week about a book by Neil Anderson, VICTORY OVER THE DARKNESS. It is sad to me that many of God's people remain unchanged after their salvation experience. I quote from the book, "I believe that the greatest determinant of mental and spiritual health and freedom is a true understanding of God and a right relationship with Him."
I know of no other way to overcome that determinant than to make the study of God's Word the most prominent activity in our lives. Isaiah gives us a complete picture of God and works at showing his people that the only way to know God is through surrender and trust. In Chapter 6:9-10 God uses Isaiah to teach a vital truth. We cannot understand God or even turn to Him unless our spiritual eyes and ears are open and sensitive to His voice. He tells us in 7:9b, "Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm." And in 8:13, "Make the Lord of Heaven's Armies holy in you life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble." Isaiah beautifully refers to Jesus, the Messiah in Chapter 11. He says in verse 2 that " the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." How inspiring and encouraging it is to know that the same Spirit "rests" on us - lives in us! We can experience and grow in the wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and fear of the Lord because we have the living Spirit of God in us. In John 14:16-17 Jesus encourages his followers with this promise: " I will ask the father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you." That promise is for all who believe on the name of Jesus Christ.
The kings have no excuse in choosing to disobey God. God has already told them what He requires of them in Deut. 10:12-13, "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases Him, and love Him and serve Him with all your heart and soul. And you must always obey the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good." Right now, God is telling me the same thing, so I pass it on to you. God constantly has to remind me that I have gotten off track - I feel so blessed that I can experience that conviction through the power of the Holy Spirit, receive His forgiveness, and get back on track (when I choose to instantly repent).
Praise God that Isaiah offers us the hope of a Savior who overshadows the sad examples of the kings. I pray we let that hope fill our hearts and minds as we continue in our reading of the kings.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
the story of Jehu
So here we are, stuck in the drama of the kings. All of these stories remind me of Judges, when the people are petitioning for the king. God warns them they don't want a king, God was their king. I guess now we see why. For me, all of the names of the kings run together because they all fail to bring glory to the God of Israel. This story line gets a little hope when we read about Jehu. I had to re-read the story of Jehu a few times because it did not seem to flow with the others. Unlike the previous kings, Jehu can only be described as a zealot. In 2Kings 10:20-30 Jehu lures the Baal followers into a worship service and slaughters them all. No one who followed Baal was left to live. Talk about taking a stand! Because of this fanatic faith God blesses Jehu.
All of this changes in the following verses. My hopes are high for Jehu - maybe, just maybe he will change the path of Israelite history. Instead, he fails to worship God with an undivided heart and neglects to turn away from the sins of Jeroboam. 2 Kings 10:25 reads, "However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan."
Jehu started out so well. He zealously set out to get rid of idol worship in Israel, neglected the sin of Jeroboam. So close, yet so far away. He failed to have an undivided heart. Because of this, Israel shrank in size. I think we do this in our lives all the time. We work tirelessly to rid ourselves of blatant sins while slipping into living with a divided heart. We neglect the small things and pay the price. I can only imagine the power God would have given Jehu had he not ignored the idol worship. He was blessed for fighting Baal, but God had so much more in store for him.
In our lives, it is imperative we learn from this story. Although it is exceedingly difficult, and I slip up all the time, we have to set ourselves to live with undivided hearts. We have to examine every crevice of our lives to see any sin that needs to be eleviated so we can be closer to our God. We have to take a stand to determine our lives to be a living sacrifice, and life lived with an undivided passion for our Lord.
All of this changes in the following verses. My hopes are high for Jehu - maybe, just maybe he will change the path of Israelite history. Instead, he fails to worship God with an undivided heart and neglects to turn away from the sins of Jeroboam. 2 Kings 10:25 reads, "However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan."
Jehu started out so well. He zealously set out to get rid of idol worship in Israel, neglected the sin of Jeroboam. So close, yet so far away. He failed to have an undivided heart. Because of this, Israel shrank in size. I think we do this in our lives all the time. We work tirelessly to rid ourselves of blatant sins while slipping into living with a divided heart. We neglect the small things and pay the price. I can only imagine the power God would have given Jehu had he not ignored the idol worship. He was blessed for fighting Baal, but God had so much more in store for him.
In our lives, it is imperative we learn from this story. Although it is exceedingly difficult, and I slip up all the time, we have to set ourselves to live with undivided hearts. We have to examine every crevice of our lives to see any sin that needs to be eleviated so we can be closer to our God. We have to take a stand to determine our lives to be a living sacrifice, and life lived with an undivided passion for our Lord.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Fear of the Lord
Brian has made it his goal this year to study the fear of the Lord. He confirmed that the fear of the Lord is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as listed in Isaiah 11:1-3. These messianic verses show that the spirit of the Lord rested on Jesus.
I found the following explanation of the fear of the Lord:“The Catholic Encyclopedia explains that this gift "fills us with a sovereign respect for God, and makes us dread, above all things, to offend Him." In an April 2006 article published in Inside the Vatican magazine, contributing editor John Mallon writes that the "fear" in "fear of the Lord" is often misinterpreted as "servile fear" (the fear of getting in trouble) when it should be understood as "filial fear" (the fear of offending someone whom one loves).”
In meditating on several verses concerning the fear of the Lord, I found a sense of order in understanding God’s plans for us, and they center around the fear of the Lord.
First, I found that I must deny the right to own my own understanding. I must trust God to direct my paths, and not depend on myself. This of course, is essentially what every believer in Christ has already done, but I believe it also to be a constant state of being- not just a one time act. So, first I must:
1. Trust in the Lord with everything while
2. Choosing not to depend on myself (my own understandings)
Proverbs 3: 5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Then I may,
3. Call out to God for direction and understanding. I was comforted by this chapter, because I do a lot of searching for understanding. I want to understand a lot of things that I don’t. I see that it is not a lack of faith that leads me to cry out to God. In fact, it may be because of faith that I call to him.
Proverbs 2:3-5, 9-10
9 Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
I think it is interesting that because a person cries out to God (vs. 2), in verse 10 the knowledge is pleasant. I don’t receive knowledge well when I am not seeking it. And when I offer unsolicited advice, it is often not received well.
Jesus is the alpha and the omega, so I should not have been surprised to find him linked inexorably to the fear of the Lord. Remember that Isaiah prophesied that the spirit of the Lord resting on the “shoot of Jesse” (Jesus) would display the fear of the Lord- and that he would delight in the fear of the Lord. Previously in Proverbs we read:
Proverbs 9:10
10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Since Jesus is the Holy One (Luke 1:35, 4:34; Mark 1:24; John 6:69), there is a link between having a “fear of the Lord” attitude and having wisdom. There is secondly a link between knowing Jesus and understanding. Understanding what? The term could be applied universally- understanding your world. I like to look back to Proverbs 2. You can understand the fear of the Lord (vs. 5), and understand the right path to travel (vs 9). Living out this cycle gives us the answers to life that we need. And I want answers.
I don’t believe I am promised that every “why” I ask will be answered. But I am promised “God direction”. If I know Jesus and seek to know him daily, I can understand the fear of the Lord. If I have a fear of the Lord attitude, I have the start to wisdom. If I have the wisdom to trust God instead of myself, then I can call out to Him, and I will understand every good path he has laid before me. And for an added bonus, God’s spirit will even help me enjoy the knowledge! (Proverbs 2:10; Isaiah 11:3)
Jesus, please help me understand the fear of the Lord. I want this attitude, because I need wisdom as a mother, a wife, a friend and as your daughter acting as your ambassador to a confused world. Empower me with your spirit so that I will know and delight in fearing to offend you. Teach me to cry out to you first in every situation. Please direct my paths and give me the discernment to detect your direction. Finally, let me follow you with joy- regardless of the path you lay before me. Amen.
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