Are you worshiping God in spirit and truth?
6 May 26
Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Devotions on F.I.R.E. Year One
Readings:
1 Kings 12
1 Kings 13
Luke 24:36-53
God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24).
Are you worshiping God in spirit and truth?
God instructed Solomon to erect the Temple in Jerusalem, where Jewish males are annually required to attend the Feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:16). Jeroboam exudes ungodliness by establishing an idolatrous system of worship to encourage the residents of the Northern Kingdom not to depart for Judah in the south, which might lead to their permanent relocation. For this reason, he designs two golden calves. “And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan” (1 Kings 12:29). The Lord dispatches a man of God from Judah (the southern region) to confront the wicked king (1 Kings 13:1). He not only condemns Jeroboam’s activity but also predicts the zeal of godly king Josiah, who wouldn’t be born for nearly three hundred years (1 Kings 13:2). Sadly, Jeroboam persists in wickedness.
Employment Point: Worship God in spirit and truth to please Him.
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Reflections
“King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.”1 Kings 12:18-19 NIV
- being Solomon’s son, Rehoboam did not seem to inherit any wisdom from his father. He seek the counsel of the elders and also his childhood mate but did not listen to the wise advice of the elders. It resulted in Him losing the faith and trust of his people. But we too know, that it is also the Lord’s doing that it is like this, for He had promised Solomon that nothing will happen in his lifetime but to that of his son.
- This is reminder to us too on who we are asking for advice. We need to exercise discernment so that we do not seek the wrong people or use the wrong advice.
“On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. So he instituted the festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to make offerings.”1 Kings 12:33 NIV
- if you remember in the previous chapter, the Lord gave kingship to Jeroboam on the condition that he is obedient and will not worship other gods. Here, he did not only violate the laws, he tried to play God by installing golden calves and picking a random date of his choosing and told the people to worship idols.
“The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’ ” (But he was lying to him.) He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have defied the word of the Lord and have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you.”1 Kings 13:18, 21 NIV
- The Lord is clear. He never confuses. If you find contradiction in what you hear and what the Holy Spirit is guiding you, be alert and stay away.
- I believe if the Lord has spoken to the man of God, He would not have veto it through a man. Because if the Lord who instructed us to do something, only He, can stop us from continuing. May this too, be a reminder to us not to trust too simply other human beings but always go back to the Lord to seek clarification when in doubt so we do not end up dead like this man of God.
“Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places. This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth.”
1 Kings 13:33-34 NIV
- the Lord has already spoken and warned Jeroboam. It was a chance for Jeroboam to change his ways, to repent, to confess his sins and turn back to God but he chose not to and even continuing to sin.
- I wonder what will actually cause someone to go all out against the Lord when he had heard of promises and also warning of all the things he had done. Has his heart hardened that much to ignore everything? Are we stubborn like this too?
“He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
Luke 24:46-47 NIV
- We were all taught to forgive, to repent of our sins and to live a new life not like before. Just that the Lord’s prayer “forgive our sins as we forgive those who sinned against us”.
- For who can forgive sins except God was what was spoken by the Pharisees when the friends lowered the man through the roof and Jesus said to him “Your sins are forgiven”. He has proven to all that He is fully God and fully man when He died and resurrected on the third day. He has come to fulfil the Scriptures.
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Freedom through Christ
BY OSWALD CHAMBERS
May 06
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. — Galatians 5:1
Spiritually-minded people will never demand that you believe a certain thing or hold a certain opinion; they’ll demand that you square your life with the standards of Jesus. We aren’t asked to believe the Bible; we are asked to believe the One the Bible reveals. In John 5, Jesus highlights the difference: “You study the Scriptures diligently … yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (vv. 39–40). Jesus is calling us to liberty of conscience, not liberty of opinion. If we are free with the freedom of Christ, others will be brought into this same freedom: the freedom of realizing the dominance of Jesus Christ.
Always measure your life by the standards of Jesus. Bow to his yoke and to no other, and be careful that you never fasten a yoke on someone else that isn’t placed there by Jesus Christ. It takes God a long time to cure us of the idea that if people don’t see things the way we do, they must be wrong. That is never God’s view. There is only one freedom: the freedom of Jesus at work in our conscience, enabling us to do what is right.
Don’t get impatient with others. Remember how God has dealt with you, with patience and gentleness. This doesn’t mean you should water down God’s truth. Let his truth have its way, and never apologize for it. Simply recall what Jesus said: “Go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). He never said, “Make converts to your opinions.”
WISDOM FROM OSWALD
The great thing about faith in God is that it keeps a man undisturbed in the midst of disturbance.
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Reflections
I think the main gist of this devotional is this “Don’t get impatient with others.” besides having the freedom in Christ.
Having in one way or another discipling my mum, I do learnt a few things which Oswald has spoken here as well.
- salvation belongs to Him. We are not responsible for or what our disciple choose to do. That is their own journey with Him for each of us are made different.
- We can encourage or suggest but we cannot condemn if they did something wrong. They will only push them backward or cause them to stumble because of us.
- Speak the truth but explain in a loving manner. We cannot sugar coat anything.
- We need to learn to give grace for the Lord has given us so much grace. So we ought to give that same grace to our disciple and allow them freedom to learn and grow. Give them the space and also the time to process for each person’s journey is different.
- Do not be harsh when they make mistakes. We need to be the loving parent and teach them why certain things are not done in a certain way. We ourselves need to be sure before we can teach so we have to learn to stand firm in the truth first. At times, if a mistake is not too overboard, we can also exercise discernment not to correct them there and then.
- As Christ is loving to us, we too, need to be loving to them. We need to learn patience as well as self-control. They are free to choose because they will have to answer for their actions but we are not to force others to conform to our own opinions. Can we be so sure that we may not be wrong? Would that not make us seem to self-righteous or even having that pride in us, thinking we are above others, or we know better?
- As iron sharpens iron, each of us is to learn from one another for there is a gift that the Lord gives to every one of us. Learn to look for that gift and help them put it to use.
- For everything we say, think or do, put God first and bring Him the glory.
Let’s pray:
Father we thank You for reminding us that each of us has the freedom to choose but we are also answerable to all our actions. Help us to remember Lot’s wife, Jeroboam and many others who were told and also warned of consequences if we chose to disobey You Father. Help us LORD, to exercise more grace towards our fellow brothers and sisters as we have shown us utmost grace upon grace. May we be the loving child of God that people sees the Christ in us. In Jesus’s name we ask and pray. Amen 🙏🏻
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