GOD IS TALKING TO YOU
Memorise:
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. .. James 1:22
Read:
2 Samuel 12:1-7
Message
Many times, when we go to Christian gatherings and the message or sermon being preached starts to sound a bit hard to swallow, there's always a tendency for us to feel that God is talking to our neighbour and not to us. I believe you must have felt like that before. Once in a while, as the preacher is preaching and condemning certain things that make us a bit uncomfortable, we console ourselves by saying, "He can't be talking to me. He must be talking to my neighbour." Don't deceive yourself when the word hits you; God is talking to you and not someone else. Every time you hear the word of God, don't go pointing fingers. Look within yourself, and wherever you see that you are not living up to His standard, make adjustments immediately.
In the Bible reading for today, a prophet came to King David and told him the story of a rich man who robbed a poor man of the only lamb he had. The rich man killed the lamb and used it to entertain his visitors instead of taking one out of the many that he had. David went into a rage and said, "That man shall surely die. " Then, the prophet turned to him and said, "Thou art the man". Many times, God brings messages like that to us, and just like David, we start to condemn others, but, if we take a moment to reflect on the message, we just might be the ones being described.
The way to grow as a Christian is not to assume that certain messages or scriptural verses are meant for other people and not you. Listen or read as if you are the one God is talking to directly. Face the fact that you might not be doing some things right and ensure that you do what must be done to make things right if that is the case.
The reason we have many so-called Christians who don't behave like Christ is not because God does not correct them; it is because when He corrects them, they assume He is correcting other people. Unfortunately, if they keep doing that, they will get to a point where they could be destroyed.
Beloved, God is speaking to you today. He wants you to surrender all to Him completely without holding anything back. Don't be like those who harden their necks because the end of such people is destruction (Proverbs 29:1).
Bible In One Year:
Joshua 8-10
Hymn:
I Am Thine O Lord
Action Point:
Every time you hear a message or read your Bible, assume that you are the only one that God is talking to.
I am Thine O Lord
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord
To the cross where Thou hast died
Draiv me nearer, nearer,nearer, blessed Lord
To Thy precious, bleeding side