Corona Devo 805

Sometimes it's good to "re-evaluate" our motives, our actions, and even our outcomes...and to measure them against what God says and how He calls us to be living.

I'm pretty sure that's one of the main purposes of the Bible.

We can get off-track.  We can wander.  We can even create our own false gods to "run to" and "worship", and worse-yet...we can influence/entice/draw others into our diversions and away from God's true plan.

If we're not careful, we can get off-track.  

The Bible serves as a powerful resource and reminder of what God wants us to be doing (as individuals, as families, as a Nation, and as a world) and also what He does not want us to be doing.  

Let's take our spiritual temperature and see if we are in a "danger zone", or if we are following the Lord in a healthy way.

Jeroboam had gotten off-track and he marched others right down that path with him.  And the consequences were on-their-way.

Are we off-track spiritually speaking?  

Allow God's Word to veer us back on track, because the consequences can be avoided.  

But if a person/culture/Nation purposely stays off-track from God long enough--the consequences will come.

(Are they here?)

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Jeroboam had opportunity for influence--he was a king.  Jeroboam could have led people closer to the Lord.  Jeroboam could have lived by God's word and standards.  

But he didn't.  He got off-track.  He made up his own rules, and he even (literally) made up his own 'gods".  So on the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves. He said to the people... Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!”... (30) But this became a great sin, for the people worshiped the idols...

(31) Jeroboam also erected buildings at the pagan shrines and ordained priests from the common people—those who were not from the priestly tribe of Levi.   ~I Kings 12:28, 30-33

But if a person/culture/Nation purposely stays off-track from God long enough--the consequences will come, and when Jeroboam's wife met with a prophet of the Lord, here is the news she received:

Then he told her, “I have bad news for you. (7) Give your husband, Jeroboam, this message from the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I promoted you from the ranks of the common people and made you ruler over my people Israel. (8 ) ...But you have not been like my servant David, who obeyed my commands and followed me with all his heart and always did whatever I wanted. (9) You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made other gods for yourself and have made me furious with your gold calves. And since you have turned your back on me, (10) I will bring disaster on your dynasty...

(15) Then the Lord will shake Israel like a reed whipped about in a stream. He will uproot the people of Israel from this good land that he gave their ancestors and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, for they have angered the Lord with the Asherah poles they have set up for worship. (16) He will abandon Israel because Jeroboam sinned and made Israel sin along with him.”  ~I Kings 14:6-10, 15-16

Hopefully what Jeroboam did raises some red flags in our spirit as we see how he disdained the Lord by creating his own articles-of-worship and led others to (falsely) worship them.

But dig deeper and see if the Lord is raking through the soil in our lives to raise any red flags that may point to areas where we have gotten off-track in our "worship" of other things instead of Him, and also if we are (even inadvertently) leading/influencing/bringing others along with us down the wrong track.  

Step back.  Reflect.  Let's review our days, our time, our hearts.  Where is our worship pointed?  Is it to the Lord Almighty?  The only One worthy of it?

If not...if we have gotten off-track...and let's get back on track.  God allows u-turns, and He uses His Word to reveal the necessity of them.  

We could/can keep going in the wrong direction (our own direction)...but this is not pleasing to the Lord and the consequences will come.  

If God is waking-us-up to our need to get back on-track today (as individuals and as a Nation)-may we heed His Word and warning.  It was too late for Jeroboam, but (until we take our last breath), it's not too late for us.  (Thanks be to Jesus!).

We have to get honest about the gods we spend our time and emotions worshiping and we must also get on-track in giving God our full affections.  He will settle for nothing less, and if we are worshiping anything else, then it is US who are settling.  No one and nothing could ever love us more than our God.  

Lord, what if we are dishonoring You?  Reveal our imperfections and get us back on-track today.  Guard us from misleading your people, Lord.  We love you.  We sincerely want to follow You, honor You and share Your hope with others.  Forgive our wrong turns and thank you for the cleansing nature of your Word.  Get us back on-track with You today, Lord, and we praise You for Your mercy and grace.  Amen.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com