HOW ARE YOU LIVING?

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Ahab said to Elijah, "So you have found me, my enemy!" "I have found you," he answered, "because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. 'I am going to bring disaster on you. I will consume your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin.'

"And also concerning Jezebel the Lord says: 'Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.'

"Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds of the air will feed on those who die in the country."

(There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.)

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: "Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son."

1 Kings 21:20-28

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Have you ever gone through a time in your life where you sinned and made all the wrong decisions? And after committing those sins, have you ever felt the overbearing weight of conviction by the Holy Spirit which comes in the way of guilt and shame for your actions?

I know I have…and those have been some of the worst times in my life…the times when I have failed the Lord and He has spared no expense to let me know about it.

So what do we do when this happens? What steps do we take to while seeking restoration and a return to God’s favor?

I have always loved the following passage from the New Testament because it is so chocked full of truth:

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:8-9

The Lord knows we are imperfect…prone to evil…afflicted by sin. The problem is that we act like we don’t know it all too often. So we carry on living in ways that are against God’s commands, words and will and act like we’re doing everything right. We live in a way that says, “I am OK. I’m doing what makes me feel good every day and am loving life. What’s wrong with that?”

What’s wrong with that? Well…we have reached a point where we have become completely detached from spiritual reality…a reality which constantly reminds us we need the Lord because we are too pathetically weak to withstand Satan without Him. And Satan wants nothing more than for us to think we’re without sin…to deceive us and try and obscure the truth within us.

So how do we escape from Satan’s clutches to where we can flee and run back to the only One who can save?

Friends, it comes down to repentance and confession.

For when we decide to turn away from sin and back toward holiness, we are embraced by the One who is faithful and just…forgiving and merciful…the One whose grace is amazing…and the only One who can purify us from all unrighteousness. Yes…the Lord can and does all this for those who genuinely show Him they’re sorry.

This truth is in full display in our passage. For Elijah had just unleashed a verbal tirade from the Lord, highlighting the fatal consequences that were in store for Ahab, his descendants and people as well as his wife Jezebel. The Lord was angry and there would soon be a price that would be exacted for the evil committed…and evil which culminated with the conspiracy to have Naboth stoned and killed so Ahab could take his vineyard.

Indeed, Ahab was in deep trouble and in the midst of his trouble, he did the only thing he could do.

He through himself at the Lord’s mercy and grace.

Scripture tells us that upon hearing the words of the Lord’s indictment, Ahab “tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted”. He lay around in that sackcloth and “went around meekly”. Such was the depth of his conviction.

This wasn’t lost on the Lord who sent a word to Elijah saying:

“Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son."

And with that, Ahab was spared. Not that the judgment had been rescinded. For there remained negative consequences for Ahab’s negative actions. But at least for the moment, Ahab had learned an important lesson: True repentance results in the Lord’s pardon. Indeed, the Lord is faithful and just when we confess our sins.

Question: Where are you in the way you’re living your life? Are you living as if there is no sin in you…living in deceit and without truth?

If so, there’s good news. For right here…right now…you can get right with your Father. You can turn to Him, tell Him you’re sorry for the things you have done, commit to change your ways and turn back toward His will and word for your life and then receive the full measure of His mercy and grace and forgiveness and, most of all, love.

For there’s no better place to be than in the Lord’s favor.

And no worse place to be than out of it.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com