July 3
2 Kings 22:3-23:30 | PS 1:1-6 | Prov 18:11-12 | Acts 21:37-22:16
We all have a tendency to simply add-on to that which is existing. This can be a marriage, a business, a philosophy, a religion. Over the years things become part of the norm which have no business being there. Sin is added. Wrong decisions get embedded into the framework. To move forward, these items must be removed. This requires honest reflection and a humble spirit. When it comes to the things of faith, we read a beautiful reality in Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus indeed did all the work though we were and are all still sinners through and through. But once we realize this, we can't simply continue to live as we always did and just sprinkle a little Jesus on top. We are called to repent, or change our minds on those areas in our life which depart from God's Word. Once we empty ourselves of what we were we can then accept the new identities in Christ that He has fashioned for us. If we refuse to remove those old areas we will resemble some sort of hybrid half-breed and never experience the fullness of life that God has planned for us. The same goes for a church, a denomination, etc. If wrong teachings, if pagan practices are retained, it can never move in the direction that God has planned for them.
King Josiah provides a great example of what to do when confronted with truth. For over fifty years Judah had sunk lower and lower into idolatry due to the leadership of King Manasseh. We read in 2 Kings 22:8, "Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it." So far had they gone that no one had the Scriptures, not even the high priest. We then read in 22:10-11, "Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king. Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes." He then sought guidance from the prophets. After that and for the remainder of the book we read that he went throughout the nation tearing down every altar, every shrine, every priest that was dedicated to worshipping anything other than the one true God. Notice the words spoken about King Josiah in 23:25, "Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him." There were no half-actions or simple add-ons. King Josiah removed what was wrong and then allowed what was good to fill the nation.
Lastly, on a completely different note, we read in 2 Kings 22:5-7, "And let them deliver it into the hand of those doing the work, who are the overseers in the house of the Lord; let them give it to those who are in the house of the Lord doing the work, to repair the damages of the house— to carpenters and builders and masons—and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house. However there need be no accounting made with them of the money delivered into their hand, because they deal faithfully.” May we be such faithful stewards of whatever it is that God has given us to do in our vocations and in our callings, that one can literally give us a blank check knowing that we are such people of integrity that we would not even consider taking a dollar more than we should.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: