A Spiritual Guide

Reconize False Gods 05.11.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

It is Sunday May 11, 2008 and today we are completing our studies on the book of II Kings. Please read Chapters 23-25 in your Bible or Click Here to read.

Today we will read and learn about Passover being restored; the destruction of Jerusalem and Temple being foretold; the death of Josiah; the fall of Jerusalem; and the captivity of Judah. Today’s message focuses on the importance of reconizing false gods and putting our trust and faith on our One True God.

Josiah was the last godly king of Judah before the destruction of Jerusalem, “And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD. And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.” (II Kings 23:1-3)

Josiah went beyond Judah, into the Assyrian-controlled former northern kingdom to Bethel, where Jeroboam had built one of the golden calves, this was propheized almost 300 years ago. ( I Kings 13:1-3). “And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men. Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, and stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove. And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.” (23:14-16).

Just twenty-three years after the death of Josiah, the Southern Kingdom of Judah was defeated and Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed. Under the reigns of its last four kings, who were mere puppets of Egypt and then Babylon, it was trodden down by successive conquests and the pitiful deportations into heathen lands. Jerusalem was invincible while its people were obedient to the Word of God. But eventually it became powerless because of sin. As a result of unfaithfulness and continued disobedience to the Word of God by its national immorality and violence, they were reduced to suffering and loss of everything.

Nebuchadnezzar, with an immense army, swept down upon the northern parts of the country and marched directly against Jerusalem to beseige it. At length, the city was reduced to starvation. King Zedekiah, with his wives, children, and guards, fled through an opening that was made in the wall, but they were captured in the plains of Jericho. ”And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king’s garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain.” (25:1-4).

Zedekiah was forced to witness the horrifying death of his family; then his own eyes were gouged out and he was forced to walk more than 800 miles in chains to Babylon (II Kings 25:7). The agonizing ordeal fulfilled two prophecies that had appeared contradictory: Zedekiah would be taken to Babylon, but would not see it.

How gruesome pathetic was the fall of the once-wonderful Kingdom of Judah. At that time in history, only Judah was known as the worshipers of Jehovah God and the prophets that God used to provide the Old Testament dwelt there. We need to see the handwriting on the wall. The United States is recognized as worshipers of the One True God. But our sins betray our trust.

This great nation known throughout the world as a Christian nation cannot survive the rejection of God and His righteousness. America, like the Kingdom of Judah, is experiencing similar sins before its destruction. We are reminded, “Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.” (Isaiah 47:13-15).

For a nation to forsake the One True God is utter madness and chaos. May every nation see the example of Israel and turn to the Lord.

In today’s messgae Jesus Christ is revealed through the Passover (II Kings 23:21-23), which was a type foreshadowing how Jesus Christ, our Redeemer will keep us from spiritual death by His having overcome it. “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Revelation 1:18).

Today’s Psalm: 80:3
“Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.”

Have a wonderful day and Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers.
God Bless,
Christina

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God’s Spirit In All 05.10.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

It is Saturday May 10, 2008 and today we are continuing our studies on the book of II Kings. Please read Chaoters 21-22 in your Bible or Click Here to read. www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=II%20Kings%2021-22&version=9

Today we will read and learn about the evil reigns of Manasseh and Amon; Josiah’s good reign; the Book of the Law being discovered; true worship being restored; and idolatry being destroyed. Today’s message focuses on the importance of realizing that God’s Spirit is in all who have trusted Jesus as their saviour.

Hezekiah was one of the best kings in the history of Judah; but his son Manasseh was even more wicked than Hezekiah’s father Ahaz. “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hephzibah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.” (II Kings 21:1-6).

Manasseh’s wickedness resulted in Judah being defeated and captured by the fierce Assyrians. (See II Chronicles 33). However, after pleading with God the Lord permitted him to return to Jerusalem and be reinstated as king. This was an answer to Manasseh’s prayers for mercy and forgiveness, as well as to the prayers of his godly father Hezekiah many years before.

God forgives even the most evil of sinners when they truly repent and pray for forgiveness. Upon being restored as king, Manasseh immediately destroyed the false gods and altars he had previously built and rebuilt the Temple’s altar and returned to true worship of the Lord. But Manasseh could not relive the wasted years of his wicked rule nor even convince his own son to reject idols and worship the Lord. After Manasseh’s death, his son Amon reinstated all the wicked, idolatrous practices of his father’s earlier reign. “Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did. And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them: And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the LORD.” (21:19-22).

The third King mentioned in these chapters, Hezekiah’s great-grandson, was noted as one of the most godly of all the kings. Josiah, walked not in the ways of evil as his father did, but walked with God. “Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.” (22:1-2).

Though little is known of Huldah, the prophetess, she had great influence in Jerusalem. Hilkiah, the high priest and king Josiah recognized her prophetic gift and sought spiritual guidance from her. “And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.” (22:15-17)

God is no respecter of persons or sex in the distribution of His precious gifts. Unlike religions which disregard the equality of women, the Bible reveals a respect and regard for them as evidenced by Huldah, the prophetess during the days when the Word of God was discovered in the Temple, as well as the four daughters of Philip, the evangelist in the New Testament who also prophecied (Acts 21:8-9). Earlier God had said, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29).

Today, God’s Spirit indwells in each and every person who believes that Jesus died for us. “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Romans 5:5-9)

In today’s message Jesus Christ is revealed through the prophets (II Kings 21:10). “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

Today’s Psalm: 55:11
“Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.”

Today’s Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Lord Jesus, I am full of gratitude today as I consider Your abiding presence in my life.  You planned my existence in my mother’s womb before I even drew my first breath.  When so many people have come into my life and exited it throughout the years You have taken up residence and You forever rule my heart.  When the path before me was unclear You have always gone before me sustaining me in my wilderness journey. Though all forsake me You remain faithful, and remarkable as it seems, even if we are faithless, You will remain faithful, for You cannot deny Yourself.  Thank You for being my Supreme Savior and the Sustainer of my soul. In Jesus’ Name…..Amen.

Have a great day and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
God Bless,

Christina

P.S. I apologize for not getting this out Saturday.

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