3/21/2011 5:24:54 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Breaking God’s laws
Bible Reading
& Meditation Reference: 1Kings 21:1-4
Message of the verses: “1 ¶
Now it came about after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a
vineyard which was in Jezreel beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me
your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close
beside my house, and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if
you like, I will give you the price of it in money." 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, "The LORD
forbid me that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers." 4 So Ahab came into his house sullen and vexed
because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he said,
"I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." And he lay down
on his bed and turned away his face and ate no food.”
This
section begins the last chapter in the book of 1Kings, and the story is a
familiar one that shows the child likeness and evilness of Ahab. As Dr. Wiersbe begins this section it is
broken down into the commandments that Ahab and Jezebel broke and the first of
these was the commandment of idolatry.
A. W. Tozer wrote the following about idolatry, “The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of
thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.” Ahab allowed his wife to introduce the
worship of Baal into the nation of Israel, which was certain idolatry. Dr. Wiersbe writes, “When you turn away from
truth, it’s evidence that you’re believing lies, then you start loving lies,
and before long, you’re controlled by lies.”
This is what happened to Ahab in this story of Naboth’s vineyard.
Covetousness
is the next commandment that Ahab broke, and perhaps it is the most difficult
of the Ten Commandments to follow. This
covers the first four verses of the 21st chapter of 1Kings.
I
believe that this sin that Ahab commits is similar to the sin that David
committed, but the difference is that when confronted by the prophet Nathan
David realized that he had sinned and confessed his sin to the Lord to whom all
sin is against. This tenth commandment
is a sin of the heart not like the first nine, and it was this sin that showed
the apostle Paul that he was a sinner, for he had thought that he had never
broken the first nine commandment, but in Romans 7:7-25 he reveals that the sin
of covetousness is the commandment that he had broken. Ahab coveted the vineyard of Naboth, and
because he would not sell it to Ahab, Ahab pulled another of his fits.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: The Lord has impressed upon my heart that I
do not want to trade places with anyone else in this world, not that I could,
but in speaking to my heart in this way He is showing me that who I am is who
the Lord made me to be, and that does not mean that I don’t sin, but it does
mean that I am to be satisfied with who I am, because I am special in the
Lord’s eyes, and to covet someone else’s life would be a form of covertness.
Now
as far as the definition of idolatry that Tozer gives, that makes it difficult
not to be an a person who does not commit idolatry, something I surely need to
commit to the Lord and not do.
My Steps of
Faith for Today:
1.
Do not commit the sin of idolatry.
2.
Trust the Lord to guide my path today.
3.
Remember that I am to depend upon the Lord every
minute of this day.
4.
Continue to learn contentment, knowing that this
comes from the Lord.
5.
Give myself to the Lord for worship and service.
6.
Remember the spiritual battle that I am in and the
need for the spiritual armor.
3/21/2011 5:50:08 AM
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