Zephaniah

Zephaniah 1 - What is it about the human nature that causes us to forget so quickly. I think about 911, the atmosphere in the United States after that happened and how churches were filled but then as the months passed it's like we forgot. People went back to what they were doing and the ways they were doing them.I thought the Lord might take me to the New Testament having finished Hosea, and instead I found myself in Zephaniah, another book of prophecy warning a group of people about God's judgment, if they didn't put the idols and the sin out of their lives. This time it was the nation of Judah. A couple hundred years earlier they watched as their sister nation, to the north, fell under the hand of judgment by the Assyrians and yet here they were in exactly the same situation with prophets warning them that they to needed to repent, get rid of the idols or they would face judgment as well. But it seems that they have forgotten what happened to their brothers and sisters in Israel, they foolishly think that God will do nothing. Sometimes we are tempted to shake our heads at the Jewish people and say "how could they do that, how could they forget!" and yet we are just the same. Many of us walk through life complacent doing what we want to do when we want to do it having little thought to what God would have us to do. So, yet again, I am faced with looking at myself and asking the Lord to show me anything in my life that he doesn't want to be there. Now is the time to deal with our idols and our sins, "let not sinners be laid asleep by the patience of God. " Matthew Henry 

Zephaniah 2 - Gather yourselves together and deal with the mess you have made. Inquire into yourselves, look into your heart while the Spirit is still before you. Don't wait, do it now. Don't let your heart be hardened, this is a matter of life and death. And to those who walk with the Lord, seek the Lord! Don't give up, either from pride, thinking you have arrived or from despair at what is happening around you. Seek righteousness, pray that during this time of great deception and wickedness that the righteousness of Christ will be given to you. Seek humility. Do you not look at the deceived and lost around you and think yourself greater than them. It is only the saving blood of Christ that makes you different. Gather together. Look into your hearts. This is a matter of life and death and each day that you don't live entirely for the Lord is nothing more than useless chaff blowing in the wind.

Zephaniah 3 - I am sorry (okay, not sorry) but we are idiots! We have GOD, an almighty, mind blowing, merciful and loving God. And yet, we hold on to our sin and idols. We are careful to deny our flesh of nothing it desires. We feed it like its a roaring lion, who can not be denied. We neglect God, our families, our responsibilities all to feed and care for the beast of our flesh. Oh yes, we lift up hallow prayers "Lord, take this from me..." But we are not willing to sacrifice anything. We say our prayer like we are supposed to and then immediately return to the thing we asked him to take a away. We lay it at his feet, heads bowed, eyes closed and with"Amen" still on our lips we snatch it up and start running. And when we feel we are at a safe distance, we feed and nourish our sin once again. We defile ourselves and live in rebellion, while we hold out our God tokens. Making excuses and playing the victim. Ya know what? Saying "No!" To our self and to our flesh will demand sacrifice on our part. We must deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow him. It is and will be hard work! Every day, deny, pick up, and follow! It's time to get serious about following Christ. He is worthy of our praise and sold out devotion. It's time to take a good hard look in the mirror. Acknowledge the sin and flesh that you are feeding, quit saying "Lord! Lord! Out of one side of your mouth while serving your flesh with the other. We think to ourselves "I need this...", "I can't help it...", "it's not that big of a deal..." But it is! It is stealing all that God has for you. Freedom, relationships, contentment, and intimacy with him. STOP! Listening to the stupid snake and trust God to meet your needs, draw near to The Lord your God who is in your midst, the mighty one, and he will save you. He will rejoice over you with gladness, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing!