Sunday, May 16, 2021

THE WRONG PATH

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 9

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

Southeast of Haifa lies Mount Carmel. As you stand on its peak, below you can see the fertile plains of the Jezreel Valley which, during the course of 7,000 years, has seen countless battles. The Book of Revelation identifies this spot as the place where the final battle of Armageddon will be fought. It was on Mount Carmel that Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verse: 2 Kings 9:6

Then he arose and went into the house. And he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel…'”

God endorsed the appointment of Jehu to replace Ahab. What fresh new potential! Almost immediately Jehu’s choices led him down the wrong path. He murdered both the King of Israel and the King of Judah, who, with their armies, were defending their lands against Syria. We understand that the events of the tragic, as well as the blessed, history of the people of God were written down so that we might learn from the things they did wrong as well as the things they did right. Let us remember that, while today’s reading shows the mess made by those who do wrong, there were still thousands of people who were humbly serving the God of Elijah and Elisha.
Like Jehu, we are always in danger of relying on a past blessing while we are in the process of moving rapidly away from God. We can never rely on previous experience with God as a guarantee that we are right in His sight now. We must make a deliberate decision to communicate with God and hear from Him every day. Jesus, in His humanity, did that. He rose early in the morning and spent time in prayer. He was receiving His guidance for the day. Therefore, He could say, “The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that please Him” (John 8:29).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, thank You for setting such an example for me. You demonstrated that as a human being, not using Your divine nature to help Yourself, I too can “do the things that please Him.” I ask that I will be given daily grace to remain always faithful to You. Because of Your indwelling Presence, I live with confidence in Your keeping power. May the smile of Your approval be upon me. In Your Name I pray, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

From my earliest memories hearing or reading children’s Bible stories, I saw Jehu as a hero. Those stories would gloss over the worst parts. Jehu driving his chariot “furiously” was an exciting mental picture for me. I could imagine myself driving a chariot like that. Then there was the death of Jezebel and the dogs consuming the remains of this exceedingly wicked woman. I may have been older when I remember thinking that this was justice because of her crimes against humanity. Around this time I also remember seeing the body of the Italian dictator, Mussolini, near the close of World War II, hanging from a balcony in a central city square. It was justice, people said. I understood from Scripture that all of us “reap what we have sown.” A New Testament reading I’ve just looked up is Galatians 6:7-10. Those verses speak to me of reaping good things also. This “good” reaping will continue into eternity in Heaven as I stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ, where believers are judged according to their works and eternal rewards are given or withheld (see 2 Corinthians 5:6-10).

Yours for laying up treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21),

David

P.S. I have chosen to ask my son Ron to continue recording the video version of my blog, since I have not quite been up to the task lately. Thank you for your ongoing prayers! The “vlogs” can be found HERE.

The statue of Elijah at the Carmelite Monastery on Mount Carmel reflects the Lord’s victory over the prophets of Baal. Shortly afterward, fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, the altar, and even the water.

13 thoughts on “Sunday, May 16, 2021

  1. It’s sad to read David’s words at the end of today’s comments but he is now free ”from the body” and home with the Lord.Thank you David…and you too,Ron.God bless
    Please pray for Jerusalem…and all of Israel,”surrounded by their enemies.”.

    2 Corinthians 5:6-10 New International Version
    ”’ 6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at ‘home in the body’ we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be ‘away from the body and at home with the Lord’. 9 So we make it our goal to please him,whether we are at ‘home in the body’ or away from it. ”’ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%205%3A6-10&version=NKJV;NIV
    Our spirits/souls live “in the body” temporarily,until we…I mean;until our bodies die,then we are at home with the Lord.Our bodies are,like a spacesuit,our life-support-systems for our souls to exist in this physical world.I believe this is a fair way to view what our earthly bodies are.

  2. Thank You Lord Jesus!! We worship you today, online, and with thanksgiving. We are so blessed by Your love and amazing grace. May you have a wonderful day, fellow saints in the Lord. Continued prayer for an end to the bloodshed in Israel. Amen.

    Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4-5 ESV

    Psalm 23, The Lord is my Shepherd.with lyrics
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-qLa_2GPcM

    • Thanks William and Beverlee. The song following the Psalm song is also a beautiful promise! Sheep prefer still water – they are afraid of rough waters with their wool coats. Jesus lead us accordingly to Your Perfect Plan. Amen

  3. Lord God, thank You for being faithful, the unchanging One, always good. Please forgive us for our sin, and break the hold of our selfish desires. Please help us to do what is right today, in Jesus’s name, amen

  4. Dear Saints today’s reading at least the title of today’s reading was well quite troubling for me because you see I have a prayer request I have two nieces and a nephew who been brought up in the church they were on the right path and now through rebellion they are on the wrong path so this reading really in terms of the title hits home and it makes my heart very sad my my eldest niece is in a gay marriage my other niece she married a man and my nephew my eldest nephew he was once in a gay relationship but is not at the moment but I think in his mindset he’s still in that relationship so today’s reading or at least the title is very near so I would really ask for your prayers that they would come back to God before it’s too late 🙏🙏 and dear to my heart🙏🙏🙏🙏

    • Dear Marilyn, you may not agree with their lifestyle choices and the bible gives clear instruction about such matters. However, rest assured, God still loves them regardless of their sin and I can only hope that stills your heart. They are children of God and His forgiveness of them is what matters in the end. May this thought bring you a sense of peace ☮️, that you might give up this worry.

      Fear not, for I am with you;
      be not dismayed, for I am your God;
      I will strengthen you, I will help you,
      I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
      Isaiah 41:10 ESV

  5. Agreeing in prayer, Marilyn, for your family members and for all of the families represented here in the blog. We want God’s greatest plan & blessings for our families (mine included). We know that God doesn’t make mistakes in His creation but society’s influence (Satan’s intent) is to destroy God’s precious people. Father, in Jesus Name, draw our loved ones mightily unto Yourself, whatever it takes. Thank Lord. Amen and amen.

  6. Thank you Beverly and Doreen for taking the time to respond to my prayer request thank you for your prayers and for your comments thank you for the Bible reference Isaiah 41:10 I guess it all boils down to for me to leave them in God’s hands and to trust God about the situation and to know that God is watching over them 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

  7. Dear Marilyn, I know that your loved ones may have turned their backs on Jesus, however, He never takes His eyes off of them.
    I have heard of so many testimonies where Christians have back sled, but give testimonies of God’s Grace , love and faithfulness of God getting their attention and bringing them back to their faith in the Lord.
    The Lord says, Refrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears..For your work (in prayer) shall be rewarded, says the Lord, they shall come back from the land of the enemy.
    There is hope I. Your future, says the Lord, that your children shall come back to their own border and serve God. Jeremiah 31:16-17

    J
    T

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