Have you become an independent spirit and walk in pride?

 8 Jun 26

Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Devotions on F.I.R.E. Year One


Readings:

2 Chronicles 26

2 Chronicles 27

2 Chronicles 28

John 17


And as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper (2 Chronicles 26:5). 


Have you become an independent spirit and walk in pride?


King Uzziah knew the blessing of the Lord while he walked with Him. He experienced military victories, other nations honoring him, building projects success, increase in possessions, and governed a large military (2 Chronicles 26:5-14). Sadly, he doesn’t give all the glory to God and becomes proud. He crosses the line by attempting to take on the role of a priest, which he is not qualified to do (2 Chronicles 26:16-19). The Lord humbles him while he seeks to attempt to burn incense for the Lord. Second Chronicles 26:19 reports the following as the priests expelled him from the Temple: “Leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar.” Please slowly read the following: “For he was marvelously helped till he became strong” (2 Chronicles 26:15). 


Employment Point: Thrive under the Lord by humbly serving Jesus for length of days.

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Reflections

I believe in the life of the believer, we are never meant to be prideful. We are called to live a life of humility and surrender to the Lord, not just to anyone else. The One true Lord who has full authority over all the earth.


“Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead.”2 Chronicles‬ ‭26‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

  • I would think the Lord has been just in inflicting him with leprosy due to the fact that he has been faithful to the Lord before he achieve great powers.  However due to his power, he became conceited. If it were the others, the Lord may have struck them down that very instant-if you remember Aaron’s sons.
  • Let this be a reminder to us that the Lord is our Sovereign Lord and let us treat Him with full reverence and fear. 


“Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭27‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

  • This was a common theme throughout the book of Kings and Chronicles. Whoever that walked steadfastly before the Lord were all greatly blessed.
  • Actually, this is the same for us as well. We may not be kings but we are to follow their ways as well. Being obedient and to trust the Lord fully.


In John 17, Jesus reiterates that He comes from the Father and believing in Him means that the disciples also believe that the Father had sent Him. Not only that, it was repeatedly mentioned too that He is in the Father and are one with the Father and that He speaks explicitly that we too, have this relationship through Him with the Father. There are no exceptions.

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What’s Next To Do?

BY OSWALD CHAMBERS

June 08


If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. —John 13:17


Be determined to know more than others. If you yourself do not cut the lines that tie you to the dock, God will have to use a storm to sever them and to send you out to sea. Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself— begin to have spiritual discernment.


When you know that you should do something and you do it, immediately you know more. Examine where you have become sluggish, where you began losing interest spiritually, and you will find that it goes back to a point where you did not do something you knew you should do. You did not do it because there seemed to be no immediate call to do it. But now you have no insight or discernment, and at a time of crisis you are spiritually distracted instead of spiritually self-controlled. It is a dangerous thing to refuse to continue learning and knowing more.


The counterfeit of obedience is a state of mind in which you create your own opportunities to sacrifice yourself, and your zeal and enthusiasm are mistaken for discernment. It is easier to sacrifice yourself than to fulfill your spiritual destiny, which is stated in Romans 12:1-2. It is much better to fulfill the purpose of God in your life by discerning His will than it is to perform great acts of self-sacrifice. “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice…” (1 Samuel 15:22). Beware of paying attention or going back to what you once were, when God wants you to be something that you have never been. “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know…” (John 7:17).


2 Chronicles 30-31; John 18:1-18


WISDOM FROM OSWALD

There is no condition of life in which we cannot abide in Jesus. We have to learn to abide in Him wherever we are placed. 

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Reflections

This reminds me of the time when I went white water rafting and I fell into the water with oar in hand. My friend told me to hand the oar over first and let go of my hands (I was holding to the ropes on the side of the raft so I won’t float away). I could feel the bottom of the river beneath me at one moment and now I can’t feel it anymore. But I know I had no chance to pull myself up as the current was quite strong. A decision was made in 3 seconds. I let go of my grip and two ladies including my friend pulled me back into the raft.


It was uncomfortable and maybe also involved high risk. I wasted no time in procrastinating. I just do it. Some of my friends will probably not let go or may take longer due to our character differences since our journeys are different. But I realised a fact that when He wants to train us, we first have to be willing to let Him.


How would that look like? Taking a step forward into the unknown for example. Stepping out of our comfort zones. Without getting out, we will never learn anything new.


Spiritual discernment is also the ability to determine if something is really from Him and not from ourselves. I realised after some tests that if it is truly His will, the door will swing wide open. There’s no need to force anything and things will just flow by itself. Just imagine ourselves floating to shore without us making efforts to swim but just allow the waves to carry us through. It is a trust in the Lord to let Him take the driver seat. To not rush through things but let things settle. For the things that are meant to be, or that He wills it to be, will continue to stir our hearts.


Don’t be in a hurry to jump right into anything that pops up. Sometimes those are distractions and also tests of our discernment in the Lord.


Let’s pray:


Father help us to continue to seek You and be found by You. Guide us with the help of the Holy Spirit and grant us wisdom and discernment to know You and hear Your voice. May we always stay close to You and not stray away so that our eyes are always on You, knowing You are near. Thank You Father. In Jesus’s name we ask and pray. Amen 🙏🏻 

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