AfricanAbbott Rebooted

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

God Prepares His Sons

GOD IS PREPARING YOU; GETHSEMANE LIFE CHURCH; K'GELA; 26/6/16]

[UNSHAKABLE FAITH, K'ROCKS; 3/7/16]

GOD IS A GREAT BAKER... INGREDIENTS ALONE ARE A MESS... MIXED TOGETHER YOU GET SOMETHING DELICIOUS. We need to have a Bakery Revival!

- Let me tell you what I know about baking: The main ingredient is flour. Flour is taken from the field and crushed so that it will blend with the other ingredients... milk, eggs, sugar which are also part of the bounty of our Holy Shamba. Ah yes, and flavouring... which make each cake different!

But all of the baking, the preparation happens IN the home. From Kitchen to Table the household feeds and fellowships everyday. But what of those who choose to leave the household to feed and fellowship in foreign places?

Luke 15:9-15 - The Lost Son.

In this familiar story the younger son left his house, carried his inheritance and lost his identity as a son of that house. Let us look closer at some cultural lessons we can learn in this story. Middle Eastern Dads would only release inheritance as they were dying. It was a ritual and a custom. In the African cultures that I have come to understand the process of inheritance is similar.

In our interaction with God we often treat Him as tho He died and our churches are memorial shrines; or perhaps we want to abandon the intimacy of a relationship and live a happy Christian life. With God we say: “I want what you have.... but I don't want a relationship with you.”

God is preparing his sons, even as they reject the values they grew with, even as they 'go to a far country'. Here is a lesson that I have learned as I interact with the lost son in each of us. When God is shaping us... He must let us go so we can make our own mistakes. But the Father is Waiting for us to “come to himself” or “his senses” or “his right mind”.

Luk 15:17 And when he came to himself...

BLUNDERS TO BLESSINGS!

The Pigpen mixed with Prayers can often do more to turn a lost son than anything else.

How many of us have felt that our lives are a mess? We are doing something that is so far from our destiny.... when will we “come to our right mind? We have used up all the 'stuff' we once had and we yearn for any kind of connection with God. The Happy Clappy songs don't do it for us. Performance is hollow; formula prayers and excited rituals are empty. We long to return to our Father's embrace.

There is only one thing that makes sense to our wounded soul. In biblical terms we need to 'repent' Repentance which means to Change Your Mind¹!

But once you change your mind... how can we change our circumstances? There are several ways but it is well said that our foolish mistakes direct us to our destiny. Our Blunders can be our Blessings. Mistakes and Mentors can shape us... but with Mentors it is so much easier... best of all is the Shaping that comes from our Good Father. It is only when the 'lost sons' discover this that we can then proceed to our journey... which lead us all the way home!

In our parable the younger son “came to himself” when his mind turned to his True Identity. Don't rebuke negative thoughts... they can teach us how to come to ourselves. We don't believe God can throw a thought into our head that can PULL US TO OUR DESTINY. In our own confused mind we say, “Oh but the devil is the dictator of my imagination”. No, no let us arrest this 'stinking thinking' Our imagination is a like a TV screen... we choose what to put on it. If you don't like the pictures your mind produces... CHANGE THE CHANNEL. Let us 'imagine' what was going on in the sons' mind:

“How many of my father's servants have more than enough to eat?” In his imagination he was looking at pig slop and his desperation he IMAGINED that a servant would have a better life.

“I will arise and go to Father's House”.... the thoughts return us to our destiny. Even doubts can stop us... but the Father WELCOMES us. And a FRESH START!
“Father I am not worthy to be called your son”. He has convinced himself of his own worth and NOT how the Father would respond to his return.

Now let us examine this thought process, and how the father's response changed his sons mind. How does the Father respond when a 'lost son' comes back the The Father's House?

MAKE THEM BAKE

BUT WHO IS YOUR FATHER? We pray to Our Father in Heaven' and our prayer is that His WILL be done 'on earth as in heaven'. So how should the earthly fathers activate the will of the Heavenly Father such that he may send his sons into this world?
YOUR APOSTOLIC FATHER CAN AND MUST RECOGNIZE THE HEAVENLY FATHERS WILL FOR THEIR SONS.
RAISE THEM IN THEIR KINGDOM DESTINY!
AND RELEASE THEM AS KINGDOM AMBASSADORS!
BUT..WE STOP SHORT... WE TAKE ON A SERVANT MENTALITY.
WE REHEARSE OUR SPEECHES BUT WE DO THEM IN PRIVATE TO SPEAK TO GOD. We prepare these speeches because God does not love us, as we understand Love [conditional]
We THINK like Servants... “As a man thinks in his heart so IS he” [Prov 23:7]

Thinks - The Hebrew verb is found here only, and probably means, “as he is all along in his heart, so is he (at last) in act.” >> God offends your mind to Reveal HIS heart – Che Ahn

God brings us back home by extending grace to him.... the Father RAN to His son... something Mid East Dads did not do. You might think this is abnormal behaviour... but this is the extravagant Love and Grace of God.

>> Elder brother judged the brother's behaviour and dishonoured his Father.

Grace is not something you earn tho the son had a Penitence Plan ['make me as one of your servants']

>> Both sons had 'forgotten their souls'

One of the greatest teachers in the Celtic world, John Scotus Eriugena in ninth-century Ireland, also taught that Christ is our memory. We suffer from the “soul’s forgetfulness,” he says. Christ comes to reawaken us to our true nature. He is our epiphany. He comes to show us the face of God. He comes to show us also our face, the true face of the human soul.

We must rediscover our identity as SONS of the KINGDOM! WE ARE HERE on earth to Reveal the Father's Will.

Part 2 - God's Preparation of Kingdom Sons

One of the greatest teachers in the Celtic world, John Scotus Eriugena in ninth-century Ireland, also taught that Christ is our memory. We suffer from the “soul’s forgetfulness,” he says. Christ comes to Reawaken us to our true nature. He is our Epiphany. He comes to show us the Face of God. He comes to Reveal in us our Face, the True Image of the human soul.

We must Rediscover our Identity as SONS of the KINGDOM! WE ARE HERE on earth to Reveal the Father's Will. Revelation of these Sons will Release Revival in the Earthly Realm

“This leads the Celtic tradition to celebrate the relationship between nature and grace. Instead of grace being viewed as opposed to our essential nature or as somehow saving us from ourselves, nature and grace are viewed as flowing together from God. They are both sacred gifts. [Yet we bind the spirit of imagination as of this part of our nature is evil!] The gift of nature, says Scotus, is the gift of “being”; the gift of grace, on the other hand, is the gift of “well-being.” Grace is given to reconnect us to our true nature. At the heart of our being is the image of God, and thus the wisdom of God, the creativity of God, the passions of God, the longings of God. Grace is opposed not to what is deepest in us but to what is false in us. It is given to restore us to the core of our being and to free us from the unnaturalness of what we are doing to one another and to the earth.” -from Christ of the Celts

There is a very visible and vast difference between living one’s live from your God identity, or from a fallen mindset; the diabolos-fruit has nothing in common with righteousness; neither does it know anything about brotherly love. (The children of the devil; here translated the diabolos-fruit; the typical fruit that the fallen mindset bears. Righteousness, diakaiosune, from dike, two parties finding likeness in each other.) Our love for one another was the topic of conversation from the start! God had nothing less in mind than a loving family! - Francis du Toit²

God is healing relationships, restoring them to a Kingdom quality; Restoring these relationships to what they should be. God, our Father knows us... and knows what we need to come back to our Father's House [Robe, shoes, ring]. Then we will celebrate the Restoration and Revelation of the sons of the house.

[CEV]1Jn 3:10 You can tell God's children from the devil's children, because those who belong to the devil refuse to do right or to love each other.

1Jn 3:11 From the beginning you were told that we must love each other.

We need to go from “Walking in Sin” to “Walking as a Son”... and don't just be a “Sunday Son”

>>As sons we are in Right Standing with our Father. Oh what JOY when we are fully reunited with our Father in Heaven.

>> God offends your mind to Reveal HIS heart – Che Ahn

>> The Glory of God is the Manifest presence of God to reveal His Goodness and POWER! Ex 33:11-19

>>Reminds one of Psa 22:27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him!

Eph 3:15 All beings in heaven and on earth receive their life from him.

Rev 5:13 Then I heard all beings in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and in the sea offer praise. Together, all of them were saying, "Praise, honor, glory, and strength forever and ever to the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!" Isa 57:18 I know what you are like! [ie how wounded is your soul, and the culture that has limited you]. But I will heal you, lead you, and give you comfort, until those who are mourning start singing my praises. No matter where [pigpen or palace] you are, I, the LORD, will heal you and give you peace.

And will heal him - That is, I will pardon and restore him. Sin, in the Scriptures, is often represented as a disease, and pardon and salvation as a healing of the disease (2Ch_7:14; Psa_41:4; Jer_3:22; Jer_17:4; Jer_32:6; Hos_14:4; see the notes at Isa_6:10).

1μετανοέω -metanoeō Thayer

1) to change one’s mind, i.e. to repent

2) to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins

2Francois du Toit; Mirror Bible translation of Heb 3:10

Friday, July 1, 2016

Gates of a Continent - The Northern Gate; Cairo

I write from a suburban Cairo, a community called Sheik Zaid, which is one of many suburban developments that feeds the largest city in Africa.... added bonus is there is a medium size mall nearby and the largest mall in the Middle East [Mall of Arabia] nearby. In the week that I have been in Cairo, I have adjust to my life as a Soujourner, neither a Tourist nor a Vagabond.

What has brought me to Cairo? In a temporal sense, my Kenyan visa ran out and Immigration Kenya requires that I leave East Africa to renew it, in an eternal [read: Kingdom] sense, Abba required that I visit the 'Ancient Northern Gate' of Africa. While Nairobi, Lagos, and Johannesburg represent the Eastern, western and southern 'gates' respectively, they are so young compared to Cairo. The prophetic words that could be released here are abundant and yet it is the relationships w Kingdom Centred People that are essential, and the key to my Apostolic Purpose here.

Cairo is the Northern Gate of Africa

Dakar, Senegal the Western Gate

Cape Town the Southern

and the Eastern Gate could be Zanzibar, Mombasa or Dar es Salaam

What I would like

God is Preparing YOU!!

PAST PAIN AND PROBLEMS ARE A PLATFORM TO YOUR POTENTIAL – PR TODD BISHOP

PROMOTE PEOPLE ON THE BASIS OF THEIR POTENTIAL NOT ON THEIR PERFORMANCE – GEN COLLIN POWELL

GOD IS A GREAT BAKER... INGREDIENTS ALONE ARE A MESS... MIXED TOGETHER YOU GET SOMETHING DELICIOUS.

But all of the baking, the preparation happens IN the home. From Kitchen to Table the household feeds and fellowships everyday. But what of those who choose to leave the household to feed and fellowship in foreign places?

Luke 15:9-15 - The Lost Son.

In this familiar story the younger son left his house, carried his inheritance and lost his identity as a son of that house. Let us look closer at some cultural lessons we can learn in this story. Middle Eastern Dads would only release inheritance as they were dying. It was a ritual and a custom. In the African cultures that I have come to understand the process of inheritance is similar.

In our interaction with God we often treat Him as tho He were dying; or at least we want to abandon the intimacy of a relationship and live a happy Christian life. With God we say: “I want what you have.... but I don't want a relationship with you.”

Luk 15:17 And when he came to himself...

The Pigpen mixed with Prayers can often do more to turn a lost son than anything else.

There is only one thing that makes sense to our wounded soul. In biblical terms we need to 'repent' Repentance which means to Change Your Mind¹!

“How many of my father's servants have more than enough to eat?” In his imagination he was looking at pig slop and his desperation he IMAGINED that a servant would have a better life.

“I will arise and go to Father's House”.... the thoughts return us to our destiny. Even doubts can stop us... but the Father WELCOMES us. And a FRESH START!
“Father I am not worthy to be called your son”. He has convinced himself of his own worth and NOT how the Father would respond to his return.

Now let us examine this thought process, and how the father's response changed his sons mind. How does the Father respond when a 'lost son' comes back the The Father's House?

BUT WHO IS YOUR FATHER? We pray to Our Father in Heaven' and our prayer is that His WILL be done 'on earth as in heaven'. So how should the earthly fathers activate the will of the Heavenly Father such that he may send his sons into this world?
YOUR APOSTOLIC FATHER CAN AND MUST RECOGNIZE THE HEAVENLY FATHERS WILL FOR THEIR SONS.
RAISE THEM IN THEIR KINGDOM DESTINY!
AND RELEASE THEM AS KINGDOM AMBASSADORS!
BUT..WE STOP SHORT... WE TAKE ON A SERVANT MENTALITY.
WE REHEARSE OUR SPEECHES BUT WE DO THEM IN PRIVATE TO SPEAK TO GOD. We prepare these speeches because God does not love us, as we understand Love [conditional]
We THINK like Servants... “As a man thinks in his heart so IS he” [Prov 23:7]

Thinks - The Hebrew verb is found here only, and probably means, “as he is all along in his heart, so is he (at last) in act.”

Grace is not something you earn tho the son had a Penitence Plan ['make me as one of your servants']

We must rediscover our identity as SONS of the KINGDOM! WE ARE HERE on earth to Reveal the Father's Will.

This leads the Celtic tradition to celebrate the relationship between nature and grace. Instead of grace being viewed as opposed to our essential nature or as somehow saving us from ourselves, nature and grace are viewed as flowing together from God. They are both sacred gifts. The gift of nature, says Eriugena, is the gift of “being”; the gift of grace, on the other hand, is the gift of “well-being.” Grace is given to reconnect us to our true nature. At the heart of our being is the image of God, and thus the wisdom of God, the creativity of God, the passions of God, the longings of God. Grace is opposed not to what is deepest in us but to what is false in us. It is given to restore us to the core of our being and to free us from the unnaturalness of what we are doing to one another and to the earth.

-from Christ of the Celts

[CEV]1Jn 3:10 You can tell God's children from the devil's children, because those who belong to the devil refuse to do right or to love each other.

1Jn 3:11 From the beginning you were told that we must love each other.

We need to go from “Walking in Sin” to “Walking as a Son”... and don't just be a “Sunday Son”

>>As sons we are in Right Standing with our Father. Oh what JOY when we are fully reunited with our Father in Heaven.

>>Reminds one of Psa 22:27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him!

Eph 3:15 All beings in heaven and on earth receive their life from him.

1μετανοέω -metanoeō Thayer

1) to change one’s mind, i.e. to repent

2) to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Baptism in our Kingdom Experience

Baptism in our Kingdom Experience:

This article covers water baptism in the early Christian church.

Part 1 – In Jesus' Time

John's Baptism – for religious Jews who believed their rituals did not bring cleansing from sin.
John introduced and new movement within Judaism. Scholars believed he was part of the Essene movement of that timeⁱ.
John, the 'Voice crying in the Wilderness', attracted followers who were drawn to his ascetic lifestyle away from the politics of the Temple at the time.
John's ministry was the fulfillment of the Messianic expectations that had developed in the previous centuries.
John's ministry was as a forerunner to Jesusⁱⁱⁱ. Indeed, two of his disciples became Jesus' disciples.
As the Gospel spread, lead by Paul, John's ministry preceded him in at least one occasion. [Acts 19:1-3^iv]

Conclusion: John's Baptism was of repentance for the Jewish people, as they expected the Messiah. It was a preparation ritual so that they would be ready to receive their Messiah.

Part 2 – Jesus' Baptism

Jesus came to John in the wilderness, immediately after He completed his wilderness fast. It is recorded in three of the gospels^v [Mat_2:22; Mar_1:9; Luk_3:21].

This was the second encounter between Jesus and his cousin.

Luk_1:41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb...44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

We must ask: “Why was Jesus lead to be baptism by John?' 1) to fulfill all righteousness. 2) to begin His ministry.
At the Baptism the fullness of the Trinity was revealed [the Voice of the Father; the Revealed Son and the Dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit.
This event reveals Baptism as an inauguration for ministry.

Part 3 – In the First Church. Later eras, such as the Reformation used Baptism as an item of division.

The controversy here is not about “believers' baptism,” for that is common to all parties.
Believers were baptized in apostolic times, and they have been baptized in all time by all the branches of the church. It is altogether a misrepresentation to allege, as is sometimes done by Baptists, that their doctrine is “believers' baptism,”.
Another sect that emerged in the Reformation era were the Anabaptists. Several denominations today trace their roots back to this sect.
Every instance of adult baptism, or of “believers' baptism,” recorded in the New Testament (Act_2:41; Act_8:37; Act_9:17, Act_9:18; Act_10:47; Act_16:15; Act_19:5, etc.) is just such as would be dealt with in precisely the same way by all branches of the Protestant Church, a profession of faith or of their being “believers” would be required from every one of them before baptism.
The point in dispute is not the baptism of believers, but whether the infant children of believers, i.e., of members of the church, ought to be baptized^vi.
One significant early Christian writing called the Didache (the 'Teachings'); has a section on Baptism.

Appeal has been made to the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, which may belong to the first half of the 2nd century. Here for the first time pouring is distinctly admitted as an ordinance in place of immersion. Because of this remarkable passage it is argued by some that, though immersion was the normal and regular baptism, yet alongside of it, pouring was allowed, and that in reality it was a matter of indifference which was used even in the 1st century. But that is not the true interpretation of the facts in the case. The passage deserves to be quoted in full and is here given in the translation of Philip Schaff (Presbyterian) in his edition of the Didache (pp. 184ff): “Now concerning baptism, baptize Thus: Having first taught all these things, baptize ye into (eis) the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, in living water. And if thou hast not living water, baptize into other water; and if thou canst not in cold, then in warm (water). But if thou hast neither, pour water thrice upon the head in (eis) the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” There is Thus no doubt that early in the 2nd century some Christians felt that baptism was so important that, when the real baptism (immersion) could not be performed because of lack of water, pouring might be used in its place. This is absolutely all that can be deduced from this passage. It is to be noted that for pouring another word (ekcheō) is used, clearly showing that baptizō does not mean “to pour.” The very exception filed proves the Baptist contention concerning baptizō̌. Now in the New Testament baptizō is the word used for baptism. Ekcheō is never so used. Harnack in a letter to C. E. W. Dobbs, Madison, Ind. (published in The Independent for February 9, 1885), under date of January 16, 1885 says: “(1) Baptizein undoubtedly signifies immersion (eintauchen). (2) No proof can be found that it signifies anything else in the New Testament and in the most ancient Christian literature. The suggestion regarding 'a sacred sense' is out of the question.” This is the whole point of the Baptists admirably stated by Adolph Harnack. There is no thought of denying that pouring early in the 2nd century came to be used in place of immersion in certain extreme cases. The meaning of baptizō is not affected a particle by this fact. The question remains as to why this use of pouring in extreme cases grew up. The answer is that it was due to a mistaken and exaggerated estimate put upon the value of baptism as essential to salvation. Those who died without baptism were felt by some to be lost. Thus arose “clinic” baptisms.

This is a record of early Christian practice. It can inform us in our era about their practice, and theology of Baptism.

i[from ISBE article on John the Baptist] John's dress and habits were strikingly suggestive of Elijah, the old prophet of national judgment. His desert habits have led some to connect him with that strange company of Jews known as the Essenes. There is, however, little foundation for such a connection other than his ascetic habits and the fact that the chief settlement of this sect was near the home of his youth. It was fitting that the one who called men to repentance and the beginning of a self-denying life should show renunciation and self-denial in his own life. But there is no evidence in his teaching that he required such asceticism of those who accepted his baptism.

iiIbid, section V 1.2

iii Ibid section VII 1. John assumed from the first the role of a herald preparing the way for the approaching Messianic age. He clearly regarded his work as Divinely appointed (Joh_1:33), but was well aware of his subordinate relation to the Messiah (Mar_1:7) and of the temporary character of his mission (Joh_3:30). The Baptist's work was twofold. In his preaching he warned the nation of the true character of the new kingdom as a reign of righteousness, and by his call to repentance and baptism he prepared at least a few hearts for a sympathetic response to the call and teaching of Jesus. He also formally announced and bore frequent personal testimony to Jesus as the Messiah.

iv [Barnes commentary on Acts 18:5] Knowing only the baptism of John - Whether he had himself heard John, and been baptized by him. has been made a question which cannot now be decided. It is not necessary, however, to suppose this, as it seems that the knowledge of John’s preaching and baptism had been propagated extensively in other nations beside Judea, Act_19:1-3. The Messiah was expected about that time. The foreign Jews would be waiting for him; and the news of John’s ministry, doctrine, and success would be rapidly propagated from synagogue to synagogue in the surrounding nations. John preached repentance, and baptized with reference to him that was to come after him Act_19:4, and this doctrine Apollos seems to have embraced.

v Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized of John, on the special ground that it became him to “fulfill all righteousness” (Mat_3:15). John's special office ceased with the baptism of Jesus, who must now “increase as the King come to his kingdom. He continued, however, for a while to bear testimony to the Messiahship of Jesus. He pointed him out to his disciples, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God.”

viFrom Easton commentary on 'Baptism'

Healing the Son's Soul

HEALING THE WOUNDED SON-SOUL

Luk 5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are in health have no need of a physician; but they that are sick. 32 I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

Other Links to this passage:, Luk_15:4-7, Luk_15:32; Eze_34:16; Mat_1:21, Mat_9:12-13, Mat_10:6, Mat_15:24, Mat_18:11; Rom_5:6; 1Ti_1:13-16; Heb_7:25; 1Jo_4:9-14

Luk 19:8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold.

Luk 19:9 And Jesus said unto him, To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost. Luk 19:11 And as they heard these things... [Jesus found a teaching moment and his disciples had to hear what the Teacher was communicating!]

Another example: Joh 12:47 [ASV] And if any man hear my sayings, and keep them not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. Joh 12:48 He that rejects me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judges him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day.

The concept of 'judgement' and 'condemnation' have been so twisted that we see ourselves as judged, condemned... they see themselves as worthless rather than 'hearing' the words of comfort and hope that Jesus brought.

Joh 5:44 How can ye believe, who take glory one from another, and seek not the glory that comes only from God?

Joh 5:45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father; there is one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 46 For had ye believed Moses [vs practice?], ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me. 47 But if ye do not believe his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

We must understand the Law brought thru Moses [the Old Covenant] to prepare us for the revelation of Grace for the wounded Son-Soul.
Absolute Obedience was Required of the “B'nai Berith' [Sons of the Covenant]. Hoekstra commentary, see below.
Identity as a Son is NOW our identity. We are not identified by past actions.

Joh 5:43 I have come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
We come in our Father's name. We are Identified and defined by that NOT by our own human origins. We have not been identified by “

Israel's Response to the Law's Demand

Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient" . . . Today you have proclaimed the LORD to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice. (Exo_24:7 and Deu_26:17)

God's law demands wholehearted obedience. "This day the LORD your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deu_26:16). When the Israelites heard this summary requirement of the law, they confidently promised that they would obey. "Today you have proclaimed the LORD to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice." Forty years earlier, when the Lord first gave His law to His people, they responded in a similar fashion. "Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, 'All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient'."

Their intentions were certainly commendable. However, their performance was definitely unacceptable. Even before they had departed from the mountain where the law was given, they plunged into disobedience. "They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it" (Exo_32:8). Soon after the death of Joshua (who led them into the Promised Land), they repeatedly rebelled against the Lord their God. The book of Judges documents this clearly: "And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Jdg_3:12); "And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Jdg_4:1); "Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Jdg_6:1); "Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Jdg_10:6).

Twelve hundred years later, Stephen would summarize Israel's history of disobedience. "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you" (Act_7:51). What a sobering evaluation of those who were so confident of obeying the law of God.

Dear Father, I humbly bow before You, confessing that I am so often like the children of Israel. I confidently promise to live in obedience to Your will. Then, I quickly stray from Your path and indulge my own will. Thank You for Your forgiving grace. Yet, I earnestly cry out for more. I need Your transforming grace to renew my inner man unto increasing obedience to You, through Jesus, my Lord, Amen.