May 16, 2006 - II Kings 24-25 and John 5:1-24
It is possible for people to get so disoriented to God that they don't even turn to God when they have great needs that only God can meet. This is so amazing, because it seems that the first thing they would do is to pray. However, it becomes the last course of action, instead of the first, when people are that disoriented to God. These passages are good examples of this truth. We must all guard against becoming disoriented to God by staying in constant communication with Him.
These last two chapters of II Kings tell us about the fall of Jerusalem and the exile of most of the people to Babylon. Through all of the death and destruction, there is no mention of anyone turning to God. There is no mention of remembering what a prophet had said. No one refers to God's Word to see what they should do. The kings continue to lead the people to do evil, and they all go down the road to destruction. Millions of people in America are doing the same thing today. They have heard the truth. They know God's Word to some degree. They even say they believe in God, but they never turn to Him as Lord. They never decide to cry out to Him, even when their lives fall apart. All along God is just waiting for them to turn to Him. He is giving them every opportunity, but they will not choose Him.
In John 5 we read about the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. He is a member of God's chosen people, the Jews. He is in the country God had set aside for His people. He had access to the Temple and to the synagogues to learn about God. However, we find him sitting by a pool depending on a fable to find healing. This man was old enough to know better at 38 years old, but he and many of his countrymen had become so disoriented to God that they thought what he was doing was the best thing for him. He would have continued in that blindness, if Jesus had not come along and spoken to him. If he had ignored Jesus, he would have missed his healing. Are you ignoring Jesus as He comes to you? Are you trusting in the way of the world or in old fables, instead of God's Word? No, maybe you are trusting in science or psychology. That is just as bad as what this man was doing.
Jesus makes that clear after He heals this man. He and His Father had been working. (v.17) That means He was and always is equal to God. (v.18) He has the power to raise the dead. (v.21) He deserves all of our honor. (v.23) He is the Source of Life. (v.24) I pray that we know these things not just with our heads, but in our hearts. I pray that we are really trusting Jesus each day, instead of getting caught up in other things. He is the only one who can deliver us from our enemies and heal us from what ails us. Give Him the glory and seek Him with all of your heart today.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Chronicles 1-3 and John5:24-47.
These last two chapters of II Kings tell us about the fall of Jerusalem and the exile of most of the people to Babylon. Through all of the death and destruction, there is no mention of anyone turning to God. There is no mention of remembering what a prophet had said. No one refers to God's Word to see what they should do. The kings continue to lead the people to do evil, and they all go down the road to destruction. Millions of people in America are doing the same thing today. They have heard the truth. They know God's Word to some degree. They even say they believe in God, but they never turn to Him as Lord. They never decide to cry out to Him, even when their lives fall apart. All along God is just waiting for them to turn to Him. He is giving them every opportunity, but they will not choose Him.
In John 5 we read about the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. He is a member of God's chosen people, the Jews. He is in the country God had set aside for His people. He had access to the Temple and to the synagogues to learn about God. However, we find him sitting by a pool depending on a fable to find healing. This man was old enough to know better at 38 years old, but he and many of his countrymen had become so disoriented to God that they thought what he was doing was the best thing for him. He would have continued in that blindness, if Jesus had not come along and spoken to him. If he had ignored Jesus, he would have missed his healing. Are you ignoring Jesus as He comes to you? Are you trusting in the way of the world or in old fables, instead of God's Word? No, maybe you are trusting in science or psychology. That is just as bad as what this man was doing.
Jesus makes that clear after He heals this man. He and His Father had been working. (v.17) That means He was and always is equal to God. (v.18) He has the power to raise the dead. (v.21) He deserves all of our honor. (v.23) He is the Source of Life. (v.24) I pray that we know these things not just with our heads, but in our hearts. I pray that we are really trusting Jesus each day, instead of getting caught up in other things. He is the only one who can deliver us from our enemies and heal us from what ails us. Give Him the glory and seek Him with all of your heart today.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Chronicles 1-3 and John5:24-47.