March 19, 2010

Today's reading: Judges 18, 19, 20; Psalm 19, 49, 79, 109, 139: Proverbs 19

Judges 18:31, "And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh."

I remember growing up my mother had a picture of an image that was supposed to be Jesus. Since these artists do not know what Jesus looked line in His earthly body I don't know how they could paint a picture of Him. The picture had a distinct feature that used to give me the creeps. No matter where you were in the room it appeared that the eyes would follow you.

The truth is that Jesus is able to see us no matter where we are or what we are doing. We must be aware of that fact. Notice our Scripture for today. The children of Israel had taken a graven image that belonged to Micah and set it up and worshiped it while God's house was in Shiloh. How sad. Their devotion was divided. They were no longer like Caleb who "wholly followed the Lord".

So many of our so-called Churches today have this problem also. They seem to be out of balance on worship and Christ honoring music. Their pulpits are filled with a feel good type of gospel which is no gospel at all. The Church has become a coffee bar and social club. This should not be! I believe it grieves the very heart of God.

I think the Church has lost it's vision of people perishing and spending eternity in hell. How about you? Do you still believe in a real, literal hell? I hope so; because, it is a real place and people go there daily.

We have lost our vision for winning souls. Look at Judges 19:17-18, "And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou? And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house." I think this looks like the Church today. A wayfaring man is a traveler. How many times do we see someone traveling through life and we just let them go on their way and never speak to them of their eternal souls? Far too many!

We need to be seeking to win the lost to Christ. We need to be doing it so much that we become so comfortable with it that it is like breathing to us. Look at Judges 20:16, "Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss." These people were well practiced and were experts with their weapons. We have only one offensive weapon and that is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. We need to know it and use it in the battle.

We need to have a vision. We need a vision of people perishing. We need a vision of serving God. Notice Psalm 49:8-9, "(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:) That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption." The reason it "ceaseth for ever" is because it is a done deal so to speak. Jesus died once for all: Hebrews 6:4, Hebrews 7:27, Hebrews 9:28. I love it that even the Old Testament talks of eternal security. Once we are saved we are always, eternally saved. Because of this we should be serving God out of love for Him and gratitude for what He has done for us.

Let's get busy! Will you?