August 1st deliberatePeople. post by Phil and Heather Joel + today's dP reading schedule:
Wednesday, August 1, 2012 2 Chronicles 30:1-31:21 / Romans 15:1-21 / Psalm 25:1-15 / Proverbs 20:13-15
Standout Verse:
2 Chronicles 30:8-9
“Now, do not be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord…for if you return to the Lord, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn His back from you IF you return to Him.”
Anyone who says our God is angry, distant or judgmental doesn’t really know Him. It’s impossible to read the Word and miss the fact that God deeply and desperately LOVES His children and wants their hearts to be wholly His so they can live strong, peaceful, abundant lives even in the midst of a sin-filled, fallen world.
He didn’t create us to be robots loyal only to Him. He gave us a free will allowing us to give our hearts and minds to those things we choose. His desire is that we would freely choose Him, walk with Him, allow Him to lead and guide us and become the people He created us to be. That’s real, authentic love. And, that’s what He continually and faithfully extends to each of us.
We must shut down the lies of the enemy that whisper to us things like, “God is a liar, He won’t really forgive someone as far gone as you”, “getting right with God is way too complicated” or “you’ll just fail again and again”. Those kinds of voices are in direct opposition to the hope, healing and forgiveness God offers.
REPENTANCE and RETURN are ONE FREE-WILL CHOICE AWAY. We must choose to stand on God’s truth knowing and believing He wants us back and He WILL FORGIVE us NO MATTER WHERE WE’VE BEEN OR WHAT WE’VE DONE. This is AMAZING news!! Let’s take Him up on His promises TODAY!
Reader Comments (2)
I love how God promises to bless others also, such as their children and brethren. Amazing! To think that getting our hearts right with God will not only be a blessing to us, but to those around us!! Praise God!! So an awesome first step in blessing those around me today . . . . make sure my heart and life are right with God and that I'm in a listening position.
II Chronicles 30:18b-20
"...But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, 'May the good Lord provide aronement for everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed accordng to the purification of the sanctuary.' And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people."
It is cool to see the faith demonstrated by King Hezekiah, on behalf of the people. Like you said, we will know that our God is loving and merciful when we get to know His character well. Even though they were not able to follow the laws of purification, the Lord received them--b/c their hearts were prepared before Him. The people had humbled themselves, returned to the Lord, and He did not reject them based on a legalistic detail of their law, at that time.
How freeing it is to know that we don't have to have our act cleaned up before we can come to God. We just have to COME TO HIM, with a ready and willing heart, to receive His mercy and cleansing, in our lives.