2 Kings 17:32,33
These new residents worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests to offer sacrifices at their places of worship. And though they worshiped the LORD, they continued to follow their own gods according to the religious customs of the nations from which they came.
A heart, a family, a people, a world divided will not stand but will fall. These new residents were brought into Samaria after the Israelites were exiled because of their sin, but they didn’t leave their old ways of idolatry behind; they brought it with them. Are we like these new residents? Have we been brought into a nation not our own, a nation much better than the one we formerly belonged to with a God who loves, lives, moves, and saves, but we have brought our own gods with us? Are we trying to live in His land but serve another god?
God Almighty is not interested in a divided heart. He wants and deserves all of us. Our God does not share. Sharing would imply that someone or something would be His equal or on the same level as Him, and that my friends, isn’t even close to true. He has created us and then paid for us through the blood of His Son, not forsaking us as we deserved but coming and dying for us to set us free! When we choose this divided lifestyle, there are many consequences, but the one I want to point out today is found a few verses after the ones above:
2 Kings 17:40,41- They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day, their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.
Our divided loyalty can doom those coming after us, and let’s be honest, divided loyalty is no loyalty at all. Yes, God can set any captive free, but why are we handicapping the next generation? Our lack of disciplined faith is setting up those coming behind us to fail. This life is hard enough, and walking by faith isn’t easy, so why start them off under the gun when we can start them off under His grace?
Proverbs 22:6- Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.
God bless! I love you all, but His love is never divided! Glory, honor, and praise now and forever to Papa God, Jesus Christ our King, and the Holy Spirit!
2 Kings 17:39
“Rather, worship the LORD your God; it is He who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”
The way this verse was revealed to me by the Holy Spirit yesterday and today starts with the phrase, “from the hand of all your enemies,” which to me, means we are already in the enemy’s hands before we come to Christ. The only way to get out of the enemy’s hand is to worship the LORD, and you only do that after you acknowledge and accept Him!
I believe that repentance is worship and that it is pleasing to the Lord! And it says, once you do that, He will deliver you! So, the way I read this verse is that I was already in the enemy’s hands until I accepted and acknowledged Christ as my Lord and Savior (worship in repentance), and then He delivered me (salvation)!!! Now, let’s look at another verse.
John 10:28: I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.
Those are Jesus’ words, and boy, are they comforting! What the Holy Spirit revealed to me this morning is that no matter what, we are in someone’s hand. It can either be the enemy, or it can be the pierced hand of King Jesus!
Jesus can take us from death to life, but once we are there, no one can snatch us from Him! So, as we go about this day and every day forward, it’s up to us whose hands we want to be in: the Hands that bled for you or the hands that tried to bind you. The Hands that took the nails or the hands that drove them in. The Hands that heal or the hands that hurt.
Thank you, King Jesus!!!! I choose this day to rest in your Hands and worship you in heart, mind, word, and deed! I repent! I surrender!! I love You!
- to Papa God, The Lion of Judah, and our Comforter the Holy Spirit!!!!
2 Kings 17:41
Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.
What we do matters! One of the biggest lies I bought into during my time in addiction was that “it’s my life, and I’m only hurting myself.” I was able to justify my actions behind the facade that my choices only affected me, but we can see clearly in this verse how that isn’t true at all!
Like these people, I bought into the lie that it’s my life, my choices, and only my consequences. But that’s not true; my selfishness in my addiction drove a wedge in my relationship with my family, friends, and my son. Now, my son carries wounds on his heart that were never supposed to be there. Wounds that could have been avoided had I just surrendered to the Lord and trusted in Him. Wounds that I convinced myself weren’t there because it was too painful to admit. Wounds that I swore I was inflicting only on myself, yet he bears the scar.
But then I found the Wounds of the One who can heal that. Wounds that brought healing, hope, forgiveness, mercy, grace, and love! Because of His wounds, my son’s can be healed!
But it takes someone to step up and say it stops with me! I surrender all to You, King Jesus. Help me, Lord, and lead me down Your path!
We are all setting a table for the next generation, but the question is: will they enjoy it? Will it be a feast of love, mercy, and grace, or a table set with fear, depression, and worry? We can’t worship on Sunday and serve our idols on Monday. We have to choose today because tomorrow’s not promised, and whether we like it or not, we all leave a legacy and set the tone for those around us!
I say this all with love, out of personal experience, and most importantly, because Jesus Christ rescued me and calls me His own!
Crosses are meant to be carried, wills are meant to be surrendered, and hearts are meant to be made whole by the precious Blood of the Lamb!
I love you all. God bless and Glory, Honor, and Praise forever to Papa God, Jesus Christ, and The Holy Spirit!
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