Friday, May 22, 2015

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GOOD DECISIONS

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 18

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

 

Hezekiah’s capital city… Jerusalem. This present-day photo is a northeast view looking toward the Temple Mount area.

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

 

Key Verse: 2 Kings 18:5

“He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any who were before him.”

Hezekiah stands out as a shining light. He served the Lord completely, destroyed false religion in the land, even to breaking up the image of the serpent that Moses had set up because the people had begun worshipping it as an idol. Read Numbers 21:4-9. Jesus referred to the serpent in John 3:14 when He spoke of being lifted up on the cross. To understand the significance of Jesus’ statement, we may consider 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For He [God] made Him [Jesus] to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Hezekiah’s own father had been one of the most evil kings of Judah. Somehow, in one generation, God changed the direction of this family and of Judah. God found a young man, 25 when he became king, who made a life-long decision to turn from the wicked ways of his father, live a holy life, and lead his people back to the God of Israel. Our decisions change us for the better or the worse.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, please hear my prayer when I ask for Your help in making the right decisions for my life and for my testimony to others. Thank You that I can change from the past, moving into a glorious future because of Jesus, Your Son and my Saviour and Lord, in whose Name I pray, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

The basic content of the message that God called me to bring to the Christian leaders gathered here in Jerusalem was one of repentance for harbouring any hatred or even disrespect towards Arabs or Jews. Such contempt is sin against our Creator God whom the Bible says is “Love!” Yes, He judges people and nations and He reserves that right for Himself. I’m so very thankful that I am not anyone’s judge! I am to love unconditionally!!!

Yours for God-inspired decisions which make positive changes in our lives and in the lives of others,

David

P.S. Here’s a clip of Elijah Harper, a superb First Nations leader for many years in Canada, addressing the Sacred Assembly in 1995, as well as a portion of Prime Minister Harper’s apology to the native peoples in 2008. I’m here in the Middle East just now where the issue is Jew and Arab. I’m a Canadian, and in my opinion our main issue, which requires an ongoing attitude of repentance, has to do with the sad long-term consequences of the sometimes self-centred rule by those of us who are currently in the majority.  God cares infinitely about the individual person, tribe, ethnic background, etc.

 

9 thoughts on “Friday, May 22, 2015”

  1. King Hezekiah honoured God by destroying the bronze snake the Israelites had been worshipping. At the time Moses made it, under God’s command, it served an important purpose as the people repented and called to Moses for prayer and protection. Their sinfulness and lack of faith turned it into the idol they worshipped.

    “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them…. ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold” (Exodus 2-5, 22-23).

    We are strong lights as Moses and Hezekiah, Lord. We worship love honour and serve You and You, alone. To You we give all the praise and glory, in Jesus precious name. Amen, amen and amen. Blessings dearest saints.

    With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. Isaiah 54:8

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  4. Lord God Almighty, There is no other God like You: Thank you Jesus, you are the Way, the Truth and the Life, there is no other way to Our Father in Heaven!!! Praise Your Holy Name, My God And My King!!! You are my all in all, without You, I am nothing, with and in You, I live and move and have my being!!!

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  6. First Commandment: I am the Lord thy God! Thou shall not have any other gods before me,
    What does this mean? We should fear, love and trust in God above all things.
    When I was in Confirmation, I learned that the first 4 commandments were what God did for us, then the remaining 6 commandments are how we are to treat others. I always thought they made sense!

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  7. Dear David,

    I don’t know if you knew that the 16-year-old niece (or grand-niece) of Elijah Harper was brutally raped and left for dead in Winnipeg last November in a case that shocked Manitobans. She almost died and it’s totally God’s miracle that she not only survived but is actually OK. There are too many cases like hers of raped or missing/murdered aboriginal girls. God has given me a burden to pray for them and their families, as I’m sure you do as well. Here are the articles:

    globalnews.ca/news/1671675/mom-of-beaten-teen-rinelle-harper-says-she-forgives-attackers/

    msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/five-months-later-rinelle-harper-gives-a-voice-to-the-missing-and-murdered/ar-AAapHuQ

    Blessings to you! I pray for you and your family often!

    Ruth

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