CAC LIVING WATER - STRANGER TO THE LAND OF THE LIVING (1)

LIVING WATER DAILY DEVOTIONAL
STRANGER TO THE LAND OF THE LIVING (1)

9^TH , JUNE 2022

EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Job 34-36

READ: 2 Kings 17:24-41

[24]And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.
[25]And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew some of them.
[26]Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.
[27]Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.
[28]Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.
[29]Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.
[30]And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
[31]And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
[32]So they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.
[33]They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.
[34]Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;
[35]With whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:
[36]But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.
[37]And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.
[38]And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods.
[39]But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.
[40]Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.
[41]So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children's children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

ALSO READ: DCLM DAILY MANNA FOR TODAY

MEMORISE: " They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away." – 2 Kings 17:33

EXPOSITION

One of the major problems of the Church in the wilderness was that of the mixed multitude (Num. 11:4). These were aliens to the true and the living God of Israel. These lacked the initial experiences of holy ancestry of the fathers of faith. They lacked divine revelation of Yahweh. They were not in covenant relationship with Jehovah. They were isolated from the written and engraved laws of the Lord!

ALSO READ: GOFAMINT DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY

According to today's devotional text, the imported cargoes of humans from different nations to the land of Israel by the invading Assyrian king did worse than the displaced and exiled original inhabitants. They had to learn the hard way, the true fear and worship of the Owner of the land by the ministry of devouring lions! (vv. 25,26; cf. Psa. 24:1ff). Same goes with our present generation of hybrid believers and congregations. Prophet Ezekiel lamented, Like mother like daughter! (Ezk. 16:44). 

ALSO READ: MFMMOUNTAIN TOP DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY.

Some churches and Christians have become denominational appendages of corrupted doctrines and syncretism. Such are now more worshippers of daddies in the Lord "emperor worship," than the true God. They employ different human and demonically inspired/backed means to help and advance the holy course of God, all for financial gains. Little wonder the plagues of hungry lions of banditry, terrorism, unemployment, fruitless prayers, absence of true divine intervention, broken homes, wayward children, etc. everywhere terrifying the Church in the land!

ALSO READ: OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY

May God restore us to the true path that stills the mouths of lions, and quenches the fire of the enemy, in Jesus' name. Amen.

PRAYER POINT:

1. Thank God for the light of His Word. Confess and ask Him to forgive our apostasy and heal our backsliding.
2. Cry: revive us, O Lord, and restore us to our spiritual senses and the true and original faith of our fathers.
3. Pray for CAC Akinyele Region, our father in the Lord, the Superintendent, and its officers at the various levels, as led by the Spirit of God.

DO HAVE A BLESSED DAY

©2022 LIVING WATERS IS a daily devotional by THE CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH