DCLM Daily Manna 18 December 2021 — Half-Hearted Change
DCLM Daily Manna 18 December 2021 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Half-Hearted Change
TOPIC: HALF-HEARTED CHANGE
TEXT: 2 KINGS 3:1-10
1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.
3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.
5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.
7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.
8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.
9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.
10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
KEY VERSE: “And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom” (2 KINGS 3:2, 3).
MESSAGE:
A man on getting home from the supermarket where he had gone to purchase some household items was surprised when he opened the carton containing the goods to discover neatly packed currency notes of the highest denomination. Obviously, the shop attendants had handed him a wrong carton. The next day he headed for the shop to return the money.
Also Read Open Heaven Devotionals
Meanwhile, confusion and pandemonium had erupted in the supermarket at the close of the day. Nobody could figure out how the proceeds for the whole day could have vanished. The euphoria that greeted his arrival the next day to return the money was indescribable. The management, overwhelmed by his rare honesty, decided to honour him and even called the media to capture the ceremony. He was asked to invite his wife waiting in his car to join the ceremony. Everyone was surprised when the man declined stating that the woman in the car was not his wife and that gesture will get him into trouble and evoke spiral consequences. He confessed that though he was righteous in the area of money, he was not in the area of morality.
Also Read Bible Doctrines
Jehoram, the son of Ahab and Jezebel, was evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his parents. He attempted to clean up the practice of idolatry set up by his parents by pulling down the image of Baal but he did not stop the worship of calves, which Jeroboam started. The change is a depiction of half-hearted devotion as Israel continued in idol worship and abandoned the true God.
Some people claim that it is not possible to be righteous in every sphere of human activity. Obviously, such people do not recognise the grace of God and the impact of His power to live above sin. Complete heart transformation happens only when one surrenders to Jesus Christ in true repentance.
Read: Uncommon Mercy
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Complete transformation is possible only in Christ.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: HAGGAI 1 – 2
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
