Author: deathtoselfdevotional

Sins of Jeroboam

~ deathtoselfdevotional ~ Leave a comment

1 Kings 12:25-33

In the books of Kings and Chronicles the success of the kings was often measured by either following after David their father, or committing the sins of Jeroboam. While most reading this will know David was a man after God’s heart, it is less known what the sins of Jeroboam are.

– He made TWO golden calves and said they were the gods (Elohim) of Israel who delivered them out of Egypt. He also said it is too much to go to Jerusalem to worship God. He deceived Israel and made God “convenient.” He put one calf in Bethel (House of God) and one calf in Dan (Judgement). His personal position was more important than serving God in truth due to fear of unity in Israel.

– He made a house of high places and made priests of the lowest of people, which were not of the sons of Levi. Ordained people in priesthood who weren’t supposed to be priests.

– He created an imitation feast of tabernacles on the 15th day of the 8th month instead of the 7th month. This is occurring in Bethel, the house of God. 

In the modern church it would seem many of these sins remain and God is going to bring judgement upon them. How many pastors, elders and church leaders know the truth of God, but due to fear of losing their position create golden calves to keep God’s people divided. One golden calf is bad enough, but two created and worshipped (even unto Dan) was a great sin in God’s eyes.

Many in church leadership today are clearly not spiritual Levites and much like Jeroboam are making priests out of people who have no business being priests. Let’s be clear it is God’s desire for ALL to become kings and priests to God, but only when certain spiritual conditions are met. To have church leadership who boldly, publicly and unashamedly live in sin with no desire to repent will identify us with the sins of Jeroboam.

Lastly the sin of creating an imitation feast of tabernacles after the desire of his own heart. God had already laid out His commandments for keeping the feast of tabernacles which Jeroboam disregarded. Much of the church may be doing this through various means. Through the lens of the feast of tabernacles many Christians reject, and even persecute the idea, that Jesus Christ wants to glorify Himself in fullness WITHIN His saints even while we walk the earth. The spiritual fulfillment of tabernacles is God coming and dwelling IN His booths (our body) in fullness. This truth has often been rejected by much of the modern day church for an imitation teaching of the fulfillment of tabernacles. This could include teachings like pre-tribulation rapture and much surrounding the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is much more to be highlighted in the story of Jeroboam and may the Spirit of God illuminate His word. Though it is easy to point our fingers at others who may be committing these sins, may we all challenge ourselves to let God shine His light into our hearts exposing where these sins may still be in our heart.

May we be like David and repent going after the heart of God.

Stones or Bricks?

~ deathtoselfdevotional ~ Leave a comment

Genesis 11:3 “And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.”

1 Peter 2:5 “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

Babylon is built with bricks, while the house of God is built with living stones. Man creates bricks, God creates stones. May we reflect on our lives and all we are building. Though they may reach into the heavens, our brick structures are worthless in God’s sight. He is ONLY desired in constructing a spiritual house founded on the corner stone, Jesus Christ Himself.

Who’s Lifting Your Eyes?

~ deathtoselfdevotional ~ 3 Comments

Genesis 13:10-18

In verse 10 it says, “Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.”

In verse 14 it says, “And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:”

Are you lifting your own eyes like Lot, pitching your tent towards the deceptions of Sodom? The Lord knows destruction is coming no matter how good it looks from a distance. This doesn’t only speak to us of the deceptivness of sin, but even things we do in God’s name. We lift our eyes to do ministry and serve the Lord. It may appear well watered from a distance, but it’s not the promised Canaan land God has for us. Sodom and Gomorrah even once had a form of Godliness being well watered like the garden of Eden. However God saw it was headed for destruction. Where are we pitching our tents?

Or like Abram will you wait to hear the Lord finally say, “Lift up now thine eyes.” To wait until the Lord says, “arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.” Lot chose the plain of Jordan in his own strength. Abram was given the plain of Mamre (fatness) by the word of the Lord.

Who’s lifting your eyes?

Wedding Feast

~ deathtoselfdevotional ~ Leave a comment

Who are we in this story?

22 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Walk in the Light

~ deathtoselfdevotional ~ Leave a comment

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

This verse is a wonderful exhortation for our fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ and other saints partaking of the same divine nature in Christ. We would be deceiving ourselves if we were to think this fellowship described is what we have come to know in most western churches as coming to some church building once, or maybe a few times a week, to hear a message then go home.

This verse lays out a condition. IF we walk in the light, as He is, THEN we have true fellowship and cleansing from all sin. IF we don’t walk in the light THEN those promises don’t apply to us. The Greek word for walk (Strong’s 4043) implies to live a certain way. The Greek word for light (Strong’s 5457) implies a manifestation of God’s life. Are we living in the manifest presence of God? Is our fellowship with others based on THAT manifestation of life alone or are we deceiving ourselves fellowshipping on the basis of something else? Maybe our fellowship has actually become founded on our denomination or way of thinking instead of the life of Christ. We could have at one point been walking IN the light, but do to various reasons no longer are. May we take an honest assessment of our lives.

This fellowship is much deeper and real. This fellowship can happen at any place and anytime IF we are walking in the light. This fellowship exists only in the light, where He is. It is hidden from the eyes of men. There are no easy roads into this fellowship, only through the door Jesus Christ Himself. This type of fellowship cleanses us from all sin, and most importantly it’s where the Lord Himself is manifesting to His people standing in their midst.

May we begin to, or continue to simply walk in the light where He is.

John 12:26 “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour”

If He arrives, we arrive. If He leaves we leave.