July 19, 2021: SOAP #4246:  2Kings 17; 2Chronicles 28; Psalm 46; James 3

SCRIPTURE:  2Kings (NIV) 17:9 The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city they built themselves high places in all their towns. 10 They set up sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. 11 At every high place they burned incense, as the nations whom the LORD had driven out before them had done. They did wicked things that provoked the LORD to anger. 12 They worshipped idols, though the LORD had said, “You shall not do this.”

OBSERVATION: Secretly!  Did they really think that their actions were done in secret?  Did they really think that no one would know?  Certainly, it was not a secret hidden from God.  And now people from every generation and in every nation have read about their “secret” things. 

APPLICATION:  I am only fooling myself to think that I can live in secret.  The “all-knowing” God is also the “all-seeing” God, and the “all-hearing” God.  To think that the One who has promised to never leave me, the One who lives in my heart—to think that He does not know what I am thinking is just fooling myself.  Of course, He is merciful, gracious, forgiving.  He must be in order to put up with me!   He knows me better than I know myself! 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for being a quick forgiver.  May the secrets I carry in my heart only be the kind that bring you joy.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!