Bible Study: Twisted Roads 09.27.10

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Today is Monday September 27, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Books of Zephaniah & Haggai. If you would like to read today's chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-september-27

Today's Message: Twisted Roads
The Christian life is like a highway, it will lead you along roads that can have so many twists and turns that is seems that you will never reach your destination, but as long as you keep going and follow the signs you will get there. There is a road near my home that looks straight, but about a mile into it it literally stops and does not pick up again until you follow the sign, go down another road, then turn, it does that at least four times that I can remember. It is a road that I only went on once and do not care to go down again, but I know I may have to again, at least, the next time I will know what to expect. The Bible says, “Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day....All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. ” -Psalm 25:4,5,10. As long as we keep following the sign that leads us in God's truth we can travel down the twisted roads of life and not get lost, but you can be sure if you take a wrong turn that you are going to get lost.

The Book of Zephaniah is the thirty-sixth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains three chapters, the author of the book is Zephaniah and it was written to the people in Israel during the time that king Josiah reigned in Judah. The purpose of the book was to warn Israel and all nations of the coming judgment of God. What we are to learn from the book is that God rather save then destroy us and is mighty to save all who come to Him. Through Zephaniah, God says, “I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked: and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD. I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.” -Zephaniah 1:2-6. God is addressing all the heathen nations, those who never sought Him, and those who worship the false gods or worship Him and them as well. He is saying that He will destroy everything and everyone who worships these false gods and or never sought Him. You can pray a thousand times a day and spend 24/7 in church, but unless you seek the Lord through Jesus Christ you are going to join those whom have turned their backs on Him. God will not acknowledge anyone who does not acknowledge His Son.

Zephaniah encourages the people to put their trust in God and assures them that He will save them. “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.” - Zephaniah 3:17-20. God willingly saves and rejoices over anyone who comes to Him. He promises that although we have been afflicted He will save us and even take away the pain. Praise God!

Sometimes, a person is going to get lost along those twisted roads, but amazingly God is right there to show us the right roads to take to get us back on the right path. He will wait until we ask Him for directions, but that does not stop Him from at least pointing us in the right direction. “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” - Revelation 7:17.

Although God did allow the destruction of Jerusalem to take place and had all the people taken into captivity by Babylon, He used the experience to get them pointed them in the right direction, at least some of them. Now, they are back in Jerusalem and in the process of rebuilding the Temple. Of course they had opposition and because of that it caused them to slack off on the repairs, eventually stopping all together. Now, God is encouraging them to get back to work.

The Book of Haggai is the thirty-seventh book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains two chapters, the author of the book is Haggai and it was written to Israel, after the exile; particularly the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. The purpose of the book was to inspire Israel to have a new zeal for God and make the leaders aware of their responsibility to rebuild the Temple of worship. What we are to learn from the book is that building God's Kingdom should be the priority of every true believer. Haggai was among the first exiles to return from Babylon under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the governor, and Joshua, the high priest. Their purpose was to rebuild the Temple. “Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes....Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD....And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, ” - Haggai 1:3-6,8,14. God was saying, all your labor is going to waste because you have not put me first, stop laboring for things that you waste your money on, get back to rebuilding the Temple and you will be taken care of and upon hearing the Word of God, the people renewed their commitment to rebuilding the Temple.

Sometimes we get lost as we try to bring in the money to pay the bills and keep a roof over our heads, but God knows what we are in need of and He will provide us with them as long as we put Him first. Of course, we need to work, God rewards us for our labor, but everything we do in life from a homemaker, to a cashier, to a bus driver, needs to be laid on the foundation of Christ. “Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ” -I Corinthians 3:8-11. As we enter the world planted on the foundation of Christ we will be able to stay on the right path of life's twisted roads.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have a great week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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