Friday, June 26, 2009

Right but Still Wrong

I was reading in 2 Chronicles when one sentence jumped of the page. It was one of those moments when the leadership principles the Great Leader has written upon our hearts became so clear.

King Joash, one of the great reformers has passed away. Most of his life was dedicated to the repairs of the temple and the renewing of true worship. For most of his life he was guided by the mentorship of the priest, Jehoiada. His son, Amaziah, becomes King at age 25. He would reign for 29 years in Jerusalem.

His entire reign is summed up in one sentence. "Amaziah did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight, but not wholeheartedly" 2 Chronicles 25:2. Wow! Consistently doing what was right, was not enough. God expected his leader to do what was right, not out of obligation, duty, or ritual, but out of a heart wholly committed. Amaziah looked good on the outside, but fell short on the inside.

The passage made me think. How many times in my life do I do the right things but not wholehearted. They are done out of duty, out of ritual, out of obligation.

Is prayer a duty or the reflection of a wholly committed heart?
Is my time in the word more than a daily habit or a checking off of something on my to-do list?
Is my outreach to my neighbors just a project or an act of the heart?
Is my service a job or a passion?
Is the pursuit of holiness a reflection of a devoted heart or a legalistic safeguard?

Amaziah did what was right, but he fell short because it was disconnected from a total heart surrender.

May God deliver me from the example of Amaziah.

May God deliver every leader from the mere outward performance of our calling. May our hearts' commitment be evident in the places we lead.

1 comment:

The Prophet said...

THE ANGEL AH1N1

"So Jehovah sent a plague on Israel, and died of Israel seventy thousand men. And the angel of Jehovah send Jerusalem to destroy it, but when he was destroying, and Jehovah repented look that bad, and said to the angel that destroyed: Stop, stop your hand. The angel of the Lord was with the age of jebuseo Oman. And David lifting up his eyes, he saw the angel of the Lord, that was between heaven and earth, with a naked sword in his hand, extended to Jerusalem. Then David and the elders fell on their faces, covered with sackcloth. "(1 Chronicles 21,14-16)



The remarkable progress that has AH1N1 flu around the world is proving that mankind has no weapons to combat this sudden illness.
The World Health Organization declared in June by the pandemic influenza AH1N1, the first pandemic in this century, and giving that appears posibiblidad others.
So far the cases recorded throughout the world are approaching the 60,000 people, the deaths from this disease is close to 200 people and affected countries are more than 110, America remains one of the most vulnerable continents.
Given this new scenario is presented to humanity, the church of Christ can not dodge, but even if this disease does not differentiate between believers and unbelievers.
But I think many Christians would agree with me that this "modern plague" is a punishment that God has unleashed on humanity that is increasingly turning away from Him Therefore the root of the disease that ravages the world is spiritual.
Indeed, one could say that the instrument that God is using to whip through the earth of this disease is "an angel".
In the Bible we see that God uses the angels as the instruments responsible for destroying a rebellious humanity. A clear example of this is seen in Los Angeles that destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19,1-25).
But in the passage from 1 Chronicles 21,14-15, is that God sends a plague on the nation of Israel which killed 70,000 people, and it is "an angel" destructive instrument.
It is not the first time that God does this, as it did on Pharaoh and on all the people of Egypt, sending a plague of death on their firstborn (Exodus 12,29-30).
We did against the Philistines, when they captured the ark of the God of Israel, wounding with a plague of tumors throughout the nation of the Philistines (1 Samuel 5, 8-12).
Later God punished the city of Bet-semes killing of Israel for having dared to 50,000 people to watch the ark of the LORD (1 Samuel 6.19).
In all these cases, the divine punishment occurred because the vulnerable human holiness of God, and only ceased when they repented of having sinned against God. The situation of the humanity of the twenty-first century is no different from the humanity of biblical times, and God has not changed his approach today.
God expects repentance of mankind, and if our generation is not to humiliate him, then the angels of God are always ready to make the Justice of God.
This scenario is where the Church of Christ throughout the world must be to pray and intercede for these poor humanity, and pray to God in his mercy to stop their destructive angel, nicknamed by the men as AH1N1 virus.
Example that we pray for Moses and Pharaoh Egypt, and God stopped her plagues.
Also King David Gold repenting of their sin, and the angel stopped destroying the city of Jerusalem.
What will the Church of Christ before this scourge of humanity suffers today?
"Christianity" is doomed to denominational apostasy.
But I believe that true Christians guided by the Holy Spirit to act to rescue and liberate all that can save humanity. This is the true Church of Christ, and you can stop the advance of this evil. Finally, the book of Revelation speaks to the angels will remain the executors of the trials of God (Revelation 15.1), and although God will continue to act with love and mercy to those who repent, God will also be released at this Humanity as the Judge of all the earth.