Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Backsliders And Willful Sinners

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Chapters: Jeremiah 7-9
Message Title: Backsliders And Willful Sinners

Hello My Friend,

Backsliders, we've seen them before, perhaps have even been one, saved, born again Christians who have fallen away from Christ and into the world. It doesn't take much for a person to start backsliding, loneliness, depression, fear, sin, all we need is take our eyes off Christ for a second and it begins. While backsliding does not take away our salvation it does cause some problems in our lives. You know, there's a reason why God does not interfere with our free will to choose the way we live, we will not listen to Him. So, He just lets us be and waits for us to come to Him on our own, yet there are some people that do not get the hint, and sadly they suffer greatly until the day they die. God loves His children, but cannot bare to see them living as if they never knew Him. “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.” - Proverbs 21:2,3.

The heart, boy does God know the heart, after all, we are made in His image and created by Him, so, of course, He's going to know all about our heart. It's the heart that starts a person backsliding, and unless they are walking with Christ daily they do not have the strength to overcome the heart. Israel once thrived as the nation led by God, and now it's a wreck. He already judged Israel and now, He is about to judge Judah. Through Jeremiah, God tells them that He is done watching them living in sin, and is casting them out of His sight.

Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee. Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee. But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.” - Jeremiah 7:14-16,27,28.

Ever wonder why some people never know Christ? God has hardened their heart. You know, anyone can be saved because nothing is impossible with God, but there are some people out there who are just plain wicked and God will not waste His time with these people. While God is the Creator of all, He is not the Father of all, some belong to the devil, and as much as God loves us all, He simply will not listen to the pleas of those who will never come to Him. “Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” - John 8:42-44.

Now, some people just do not know any better because they grew up under some false religion or made up doctrine. Many people want God's blessings, and they try to do good things to get them, but they want to follow God on their terms. Rather than make themselves feel convicted every time, they justify sin by making up their own set of rules and putting God's name on it. This is very dangerous and something God despises. Through Jeremiah, God addresses those who are saved, living in sin, and still trying to get His attention.

Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD. How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.” - Jeremiah 8:5-8,14.

Given water of gall to drink, this is interesting because when Jesus was being crucified He was given water of gall to drink right before He died. When Jesus was on the cross, God turned His back on His Son because He could not look at Him for every sin of every person, past, present, and future was on there with Him. “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.” - Mark 15:34-37.

The majority of people in the world have sight by see faith, meaning if they do not see it they do not believe, and believe it or not, many Christians live that way also. The problem comes when we start trusting man, these men and women of God who have flesh just like us, they can give us things and make us feel good by filling our bodies and pockets with things we long for. What happens when these men and women, who are really not who they say they are, get exposed? People blame God and the church. Where's God's vengeance? These false preachers of His. Through Jeremiah, God speaks of His vengeance on them.

Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people? Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait. Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?” - Jeremiah 9:4-9.

Guess what, we are all human, we all make mistakes, we are not always going to agree with the person teaching God's words to us, but God's Word is infallible, meaning it is not written in vain, does not deceive, and does not change. Why do you think there are so many different versions of the Bible? Men and women living in sin who have willfully, rewritten Scripture in vain. We are to live by every word of God, not just the portions we like, but every word, and until we get that in our heads there will be problems, and that goes for those who do not know any better because they followed the man or woman instead of God. “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” - Ephesians 5:6-8.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for guiding me along the path to Your Son, Jesus Christ. Of all the people in the world You chose me to be one of Yours and for that no words of gratitude can express my thanks to You. Lord, now that I know the truth, let me not get caught up in strange doctrines that would hinder my walk with You. I trust in You, let me not be put to confusion, but see clearly all that You are trying to tell and show me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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