Scripture: 2 Chronicles 30.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

2 Chronicles 30:6-8 (NLT)

6 At the king’s command, runners were sent throughout Israel and Judah. They carried letters that said: “O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that he will return to the few of us who have survived the conquest of the Assyrian kings.

7 Do not be like your ancestors and relatives who abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and became an object of derision, as you yourselves can see.

8 Do not be stubborn, as they were, but submit yourselves to the Lord. Come to his Temple, which he has set apart as holy forever. Worship the Lord your God so that his fierce anger will turn away from you.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

King Hezekiah had such a concern for his people and their spiritual condition that he prepared the temple and the occasion, then he sent runners out with personal invitations to the people to join him in worship so the Lord God would return to them. How badly do we want to see our family, neighbors and friends in church? I believe that my church, my neighborhood, my city, my state and my country needs to return to the Lord. The Bible says that as we draw nigh to God, He will draw nigh to us. Hezekiah warned that the people not become an object of derision (horror) but to submit themselves to God. To submit means to obey Him first, yielding our bodies, minds, wills, and emotions to Him. His Holy Spirit must guide and renew every part of us. Only then will we be able to temper our stubborn selfishness. Friends, it is time that we place our priorities in order. It is time that we place God first in our lives and to have such a strong desire to see our relatives and friends surrender their lives to Christ, that we would be willing to run a marathon to encourage them, witness to them, show them that we care about their eternal destination and their current relationship with the Lord. If we (God’s people) would humble ourselves, draw near to Him, be more like Him, then our hearts and our minds will become like Him and we will have a natural desire to see others come to Him. I believe that we want to see God’s anger held at bay, but in our world of instant commands we would rather not have to do the personal bit. God wants us in totality and without side distractions. Revival of Christians must come before we could expect the unsaved to see the Light and turn to Him

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, I believe that You have placed Your Word in my path this morning so that I may see the error of my ways and understand what is needed in my life so that I may draw closer to You, more committed to You, and that I will not be a stumbling block to Your work in the lives of those that I hold dear. Please forgive me where I have been selfish and uncommitted. Please give me the wisdom and personal desire to place You first in my life and obedient to Your commands so that You may have freedom to work in and through me.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
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