by David Brenneman
"But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work.” 2 Chronicles 15:7.
"Now when Asa heard these words and the prophecy which Azariah the son of Oded the prophet spoke, he took courage and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the Lord which was in front of the porch of the Lord." 2 Chronicles 15:8.
What do you do when the Spirit points something out to you that God doesn't approve of?
What do you think about when your conscience is pricked an the Spirit says "What about this?" and points to something you're doing in life that you shouldn't be?
Do you have regard for what He's saying or do you dismiss Him?
In this instance with a King, obedience was what we see happening. The following of people when his obedience happened was extraordinary. He didn't quibble over the money spent in making the things being destroyed and removed. He wanted a right relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
There's immediate fruit from obedience.
Our sin nature wants us to stress over the loss. The time n money put into those things that we take so much pride in and care about so much. That we are considering figuring out how to profit off the sinful opportunities we engaged in. That's literally what we do. How can I get back money from what I never should have bought in the first place.
The good Kings in the Old Testament, where confronted by idolatry, destroyed those idols. A few ground them to powder and did other things with even that.
In the New Testament we are commanded to flee youthful lusts, to stay away from those things that the Bible says are evil.
"Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels." 2 Timothy 2:21-2.
"But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22.
You'll be harf pressed to find people who haven't heard the phrase "we can do this the easy way or the hard way". My Dear Reader...this applies to lessons taught by the Spirit of God for you.
Lessons that He fully intends to teach us that are going to cause us to become more like Christ are going to happen to us. We choose which path it will be...the easy way or the hard way.
The part we most often struggle with is understanding how letting go of what appears in the moment to be joyful to us will benefit us.
Many other Kings in the Old Testament didn't get rid of the idolatry that plagued God's chosen people. This caused more strife and more problems. Many people died because of their lack of obedience to the Lord.
People today die because they refuse to accept that they need a Savior who is Christ the Lord.
People today suffer through life because they come to Christ for salvation yet aren't living a life of obedience to God's Word.
People today are faced with a choice. You are faced with a choice. Obedience or disobedience. Listening or ignoring. Putting your wants and desires first or whatever the Spirit is trying to get you to see, hear and understand.
We literally either listen and obey or we are rebellious and tell the Spirit to talk to the hand.
It's our choices. Either our stubbornness and pride wins out or our obedience.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter." Matthew 7:21.
Hmm. And therein lies that last bit of truth.
"But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was." James 1:22-24.
Some may argue that they are obeying. Yet they delude themselves because a look at where their time, energy and effort, let alone their money goes reveals something different. They look busy but aren't doing much for the Lord. They are always moving about but aren't spending quality time with Jesus. Many honestly have shrines to other people or things in their lives and homes without realizing that's what they have. They might be busy but never asking Him what they should be busy doing for Him.
Take a look at the parable of the talents. You who are in Christ have been given talents to work with for the Lord. Are you going to get to Heaven only to be asked why you didn't use them for Jesus your Savior?
Take a good look at whether you are really in it to become more like Christ or if you're actually trying to skate by until you are called home to Heaven or the Rapture of the Church occurs.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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