June 27, 2020 CAC Living Water Devotional :- SITTING ON THE FENCE

June 27, 2020 CAC Living Water Devotional :- SITTING ON THE FENCE

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LIVING WATER🌊 CAC DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE

📆 Saturday, June 27, 2020

SITTING ON THE FENCE

Read: 1 Kings 18:20-24

I Kings 18:20-24 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing.
Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.
Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it.
Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.” Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”

MEMORISE: Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. (1 kings 18:21)

EXPOSITION
There would be always be situations that need specific decisions. In fact, indecision, itself, is s decision! So, the metaphorical expression, “Sitting on the fence”, which means not taking any side on an issue, rarely exists! If you are not worshipping God, it automatically indicates that you are worshipping something else, obviously the devil and/or his agents or weapons.

Elijah, in today’s text, challenged the people to choose between God and Baal (v. 21). He didn’t want, “one leg in, one leg out”. Moses also Warned the people against indecision. Thank God the wise promptly did on the Lord’s side (Num. 16:26,27). The others perished with the rebellious Koran and Co. As a Christian, stay and abuse with people of like mindsco-believers (1 Cor. 15:33; 2 Cor. 6:14ff). Don’t associate or identify with the wicked. Don’t join the multitude in wrong doing (Exo. 23:2). We are commanded not to sit, stand or walk in sinners ways (Psa. 1:1-2)

Bin matters that obviously negate godly principles of righteousness and holiness, you don’t need to hesitate or linger; you should stand for God’s principles, defending them, firmly. Many align with the erroneous multitude against the godly few. The majority, carrying the day, politically, does not mean God is with them. When ungodly laws or ethics are presented to you, notwithstanding the seeming mouth-watering benefits they promise, dump them (cf. Job. 15:34). Choose, you this day whom you will serve, whether God or Mammon. Be wise! (Jos. 24:15)

PRAYER POINTS
1. God, help me to stand with, and for You where others choose to flee.
2. Command the Spirit of compromise out of your life/mind, now, in Jesus name.
3. Lord, equip ministers of the gospel with uncompromising resilience in spirit, to firmly defend the Faith of our godly patriachs/matriarchs.

EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: 2 Chronicles 6-8 & 1 Thessalonians 5

Matthew 25:35-45 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

MEMORISE: But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores (Luke. 16:20-21)

EXPOSITION
It is always observed that many people do gather at funerals at least to pay their last respect to, and show their love for the dead. Moreover, they want to identify with the bereaved in their dark moments. This could be a pretty nice thing to do, but now better would it be if all this show of love and concern for the departed had been during his/her life time! Today’s devotional guide seeks to charge us to have a positive rethink about our attitudes to people around us.

Imagine someone you bluntly refused to help, while you had the capacity, ends up dying in the sorrow and penury. Of what use is your mourning him after you watched him die wretched. Some well-to-do ones do not help because they believe those who need their assistance may not pay back. When you are expecting returns, having helped someone, you have not really helped. What you have merely done is business (cf. Prov. 19:17).

While your needy neighbour still lives, you are presented with a golden opportunity to sow seed according to your ability, in his/her life, not after the demise. Although, it is good to care for the dead or the bereaved, it is mere medicine after death, if no care has been shown while the deceased’s existence lasted on earth.

It is high time we began to change our mentality. The matter concerns children to their parents. We are obliged to take good care of our parents, as much as it is within our reach. You never knew your last opportunity to bless someone: “Don’t come for my funeral to show how much you cared about me. Show how much you do care while I am alive”, wrote Futusion. Let people God has placed around you feel your care and concern, in your own ‘little’ way.

PRAYER POINT:
1. Help me, O Lord, to love and care for others, like You do.
2. Pray that our children shall not be wicked ones who abandon their parents during their lifetime, only to paint everywhere blue at their funerals.
3. Pray that God should restore the passion for hospital evangelism in our churches.

EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: 2 Chronicles. 3-5 & 1 Thessalonians. 3-4

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