CAC Living Water Devotional For June 9, 2022 : Topic – Strangers to the land of the Living (1)

CAC Living Water Devotional For June 9, 2022 : Topic – Strangers to the land of the Living (1)

 

Christ Apostolic Church Living Water Daily Devotional Guide

Day 160/365
Thursday, June 9, 2022.

Strangers to the land of the Living (1)
Read 2 kings 17v24-41

24 AMP:The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the Israelites. They possessed Samaria and dwelt in its cities.
25 AMP:At the beginning of their dwelling there, they did not fear and revere the Lord. Therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them.
26 AMP:So the king of Assyria was told: ) manner of [worship demanded by] the God of the land.
27 AMP:Then the king of Assyria commanded, Take to Samaria one of the priests you brought from there, and let him [and his helpers] go and live there and let him teach the people the law of the God of the land.
28 AMP:So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel and taught them how they should fear and revere the Lord.
29 AMP:But every nationality still made gods of their own and put them in the shrines of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nationality in the city in which they dwelt.
30 AMP:The men of Babylon made [and worshiped their deity] Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima,
31 AMP:The Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
32 AMP:So they feared the Lord, yet appointed from among themselves, whether high or low, priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places.
33 AMP:They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods, as did the nations from among whom they had been carried away.
34 AMP:Unto this day they do after their former custom: they do not fear the Lord [as God sees it], neither do they obey the statutes or the ordinances or the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom He named Israel,
35 AMP:With whom the Lord had made a covenant and commanded them, You shall not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them.
36 AMP:But you shall [reverently] fear, bow yourselves to, and sacrifice to the Lord, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm.
37 AMP:And the statutes, ordinances, law, and commandment which He wrote for you you shall observe and do forevermore; you shall not fear other gods.
38 AMP:And the covenant that I have made with you you shall not forget; you shall not fear other gods.
39 AMP:But the Lord your God you shall [reverently] fear; then He will deliver you out of the hands of all your enemies.
40 AMP:However, they did not listen, but they did as they had done formerly.
41 AMP:So these nations [vainly] feared the Lord and also served their graven images, as did their children and their children’s children. As their fathers did, so do they to this day.

Memorise: AMP:They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods, as did the nations from among whom they had been carried away.
(2 kings 17v33).

Exposition
One of the major problems of the Church in the wilderness was that of the mixed multitude (Num.11v4). These were aliens to the true and the Living God of Isreal. These lacked the initial experience of Yahweh. They were not in covenant relationship with Jehovah. They were isolated from the written and engraved laws of the Lord!
According to today’s devotional text, the imported cargoes of humans from different nations to the land of Israel by the invading Assyrian king did worse than the displaced and exiled original inhabitants. They had to learn the hard way, the true fear and worship of the Owner of the land by the ministry of devouring lions! (vv.25,26; c.f.Psa.24:1ff).

Same goes with our present generation of hybrid believers and congregations. Prophets Ezekiel lamented, Like mother like daughter! (Ese. 16v44). Some churches and Christians have become denominational appendages of corrupted doctrines and syncretism. Such are now more worshippers of daddies in the Lord “emperor worship,” than the true God. They employ different human and demonically inspired/backed means to help and advance the holy course of God, all for financial gains. Little wonder the plagues of hungry lions of banditry, terrorism, unemployment, fruitless prayers, absence of true divine intervention, broken homes, wayward children, etc. everywhere terrifying the Church in the land!
May God restores us to the true path that path stills the mouths of lions, and quenches the fire of the enemy, in Jesus name. Amen.

Prayer points
1. Thank God for the light of His Word. Confess and ask Him to forgive our apostasy and heal our backsliding.
2. Cry: revive us, O Lord, and restore us to our spiritual senses and true and original faith of our fathers.
3. Pray for CAC Akinyele region, our father in the Lord, the Superintendent, and it’s officers at the various levels, as led by the spirit of God.

Extra Reading for Today: Job 34-36

HAVE A GREAT THURSDAY AS YOU STAY SAFE  ….. SHALOM!

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