In The Word
Read Psalms 106:34-48
They did not destroy the peoples,
As the Lord commanded them,
But they mingled with the nations
And learned their practices,
And served their idols,
Which became a snare to them.
They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,
And shed innocent blood,
The blood of their sons and their daughters,
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
And the land was polluted with the blood.
Thus they became unclean in their practices,
And played the harlot in their deeds.
Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against His people
And He abhorred His inheritance.
Then He gave them into the hand of the nations,
And those who hated them ruled over them.
Their enemies also oppressed them,
And they were subdued under their power.
Many times He would deliver them;
They, however, were rebellious in their counsel,
And so sank down in their iniquity.
Nevertheless He looked upon their distress
When He heard their cry;
And He remembered His covenant for their sake,
And relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness.
He also made them objects of compassion
In the presence of all their captors.
Save us, O Lord our God,
And gather us from among the nations,
To give thanks to Your holy name
And glory in Your praise.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
From everlasting even to everlasting.
And let all the people say, “Amen.”
Praise the Lord!
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
God in His goodness and loving-kindness always kept a remnant to live in His promises. We need to take special note that although many went into the promise land, most did not. People who try to abuse God’s goodness and loving-kindness find themselves coming up short of the promises of God. Although we should be grateful for God’s love, we should live in a way that respects and honors that same love. This is called living in the fear of the Lord.
Unfortunately, most of the people that entered the promise land failed to do this. God had warned them to not intermingle with the world; He had called them to be separated from the world. When the Israelites allowed the world to convert them, the first place they began to see the negative results was in their children. They allowed the enemy to destroy their children. Many people today speak of how they love their children and how they would do anything to see them blessed, but then they turn around and live in a way that opens the door for the enemy to destroy them.
Let me give you good council: keep the influence of the world out of your life. God said, “Come out from their midst and be separate” (2 Corinthians 6). We have to live in the world, but we should not be of the world. Take a stand to respect and honor the name of Christ. Live in the fear of the Lord and see your life protected and flourishing.