FRESH START TODAY - ONE NATION UNDER GOD - 1-09-2014

FRESH START TODAY – ONE NATION UNDER GOD (January 9, 2014) Today I read the Scriptures that told of how king Josiah responded to the reading of Law of Moses. The Laws were buried in the Temple of God in Jerusalem and had not been observed for many years. Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. 2 Chronicles 34:14-21, While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord." He gave it to Shaphan. Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: "Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers." Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant: "Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord's anger that is poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book. NIV When a person reads the Words that the Lord writes through His messages, the heart is pierced with guilt, when it is first understood. King Josiah was human like you and I are, even though he inherited the throne. His grandfather was a ruthless king and murdered many of his own descendants, not to mention that he created his own religion. When we get away from the true God and His righteous message, we suffer our own punishment and confusion. Yes, I said confusion! We can get complacent regarding God’s Word and then forget the power that the messages bring to our hearts. We need to experience the humility that king Josiah did that can bring about change to our nation, like it did to the people of Israel. Just recently, in a mixed Bible Study, my husband was telling the story of when we were living in Italy during the 1970’s, and that the country was mostly made up of different factions of Communism. There were different groups that could not agree on the political issues at that time. It was primarily a democratic country. The United States military living there were instructed on how to evacuate if the all the parties were to agree that would change the politics. Much like our country, if the different factions of religious organisms were to agree to live by the true meaning of the Scriptures, our nation would become, again, one Nation Under God. If we, as believers, could humble our hearts to the truth of God’s Grace, Mercy, forgiveness and seek to understood what the message of the cross really means, this would set us free to be bold to be change agents. The first actions is to humble ourselves before a Holy God, pray (talking to God) to help us understand His messages and be obedient to the Words of power and wisdom. If we do not then we will face judgment, as a Nation, much like the people of Israel did after the death of king Josiah. We need to join our hearts in unity to be all God wants us to be, as believers.