THE REFUGE DEVOTIONAL

The Lord of all creation chose to make Himself known to the world through a small group of people whom He separated for Himself. He gave them His laws to govern them, He gave them His love, and He called them Israel. As time passed, Israel turned away from the Lord and His holy commandments. They began to worship the false gods in the land. Instead of allowing the Lord’s perfect principles to govern their life, they chose to seek to satisfy their passions in the world. After many warnings from the Lord’s messengers, they would not turn from their evil practices. Therefore, the Lord raised up a violent nation to remove them from the land that He had given them. Since the people would not honor the Lord by following His precepts, they would learn to honor Him in captivity. Pain and regret would become a sword of affliction to them, causing them to remember the Lord again. The Lord was going to drive them from their homes and take away all of their provisions. But the Lord, being full of mercy, did not leave them without a promise. He knew that after a season of pain and regret they would repent and gladly come back to serve Him. Then He would fulfill His promise and restore them to their land.

It is very true that whatever a man sows that shall he also reap. Those who hold to the Bible as God’s absolute authority must never forget that sinning against His word will always bring pain and suffering into their lives. The Lord, being gracious and merciful, has given His children boundaries in His word concerning sin. We are commanded by the Lord to put to death anything that would rival His Holy decree. Paul, in his letter to the church in Rome wrote, “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace.”

 Do not be deceived brothers and sisters in Christ; there are consequences for sinful action here on this earth. The psalmist tells us in Chapter 119, “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart.” O that we would humble ourselves before the God of Heaven and make His word our daily source of strength. Remember, those who seek to live their life apart from the knowledge and wisdom of God will suffer in this lifetime.

Rodney Nantz

“For this is what the LORD says: ‘When seventy years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm my promise concerning you to restore you to this place.’”
Jeremiah 29:10