TUESDAY 2ND JUNE,2020
TOPIC: THE DAY OF RECOMPENSE
TEXT:EZEKIEL 16:35-43
KEY VERSE: "Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord GOD: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations" (EZEKIEL 16:43).
One of the most remarkable things about God is that He loves with the same fervour with which He judges. He has no preference or favourites. God is not a respecter of persons, no matter how highly placed or well-favoured. When He sees sin either in a heathen or in a backslidden Christian, He punishes it equally.
Our text was a solemn message delivered by Prophet Ezekiel to Jerusalem. God had taken Jerusalem as a bride (Isaiah 54:5), but she went into adultery with strangers. She gave gifts to her lovers and hired them for whoredom. She used the blood of her children for idolatry and abominations. Therefore, the Lord decided to judge her as women that break wedlock are judged. She received a recompense for her whoredom and abominations with burning fire and God's fury.
It is indeed a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God who is a consuming fire. He will judge sin wherever it is found; whether in the unbelieving heathens or in the compromising and backslidden believers. In fact, when a believer, espoused to God like Jerusalem, wilfully goes into sin, he incurs greater wrath than those who do not know God.
Some people erroneously think that God is slack in bringing punishment to evil doers. He is only long-suffering and patient, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. A day of recompense will come upon the world as it was for Jerusalem.
We do not need to wait until the cup of evil, corruption and sin gets full and the judgment of God becomes unavoidable. It is beneficial if you would avoid God's impending wrath, repent from sin and totally separate from all ungodly conducts.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: God's recompense will not be pleasant to sinners.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 SAMUEL 27-29
DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY
HIGHER EVERYDAY: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)
TUESDAY 2ND JUNE,2020
TOPIC: CHRISTIAN CONTINUITY*
TEXT:JOHN 8:31-36
MEMORY VERSE: "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed" (JOHN 8:31).
*Christian continuity simply means a Christian faithfully serving the Lord and obeying His word till the end. Many of Christ's disciples continued in His word till the end of their lives. David Livingstone, the young Scottish doctor, is a contemporary example of Christians who continued in Christ's word till the end.
Though he was an explorer and missionary to Southern Africa, he was also an abolitionist who believed that slave trade was evil and that it was the preaching of the gospel and commerce that could end it.
Livingstone suffered in the course of the gospel work, including an attack by a lion, but remained steadfast. He said, "I determined never to stop until I had come to the end and achieved my goal." He died from dysentery and malaria, on his knees, praying on May 1, 1873, at age 60.
Jesus told "those Jews which believed him..." not just anybody, but those who believe on Him, to continue in His word. Have you believed in Him? Are you continuing in His word? You are His true disciple if you are.
QUOTE: Many of Christ's disciples continued in His word.
CHALLENGE: Livingstone continued, though married with three children.
PRAYER: Help me oh God, never to look back, in Jesus' name.