Clean From Corruption
1 Samuel 7:3, "And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines."
Samuel the prophet-priest addresses the people of Israel at Mizpeh after the ark of the LORD had been returned to Israel. It was a fitting time to address all the people about their spiritual standing before the LORD. If there is anything the LORD demanded from Israel, it was always to have hearts devoted fully to Him. Division in focus and allegiance was a corruption that God would not tolerate. Samuel knew the steps Israel needed to take to get right with God. And the process of getting right began with their putting away the strange God's among them. These were other perceived deities; there are no other gods in truth and reality. Paul made this statement in 1 Corinthians 8:4-6, "we know that a idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. 5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." We know there is but one God, but we can establish idols in our live. We must ask ourselves if anything has corrupted our lives, which hinders us from living our lives fully surrendered to the Lord. Spiritual corruption involves the destruction of life as it should be spiritually before God. Things begin to break down, and then lose the form or condition they originally had. SIN CORRUPTS, IDOLS CORRUPT, MATERIALISM CORRUPTS, HEDONISM CORRUPTS, LAZINESS CORRUPTS, APATHY CORRUPTS!!!
How are you today? Have you allowed anything to corrupt you? You can't have a right walk with God if your life is corrupted with other things. Purge yourself of the things hindering your relationship with God and "...prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve Him only..."
Your Friend and HIS,
Pastor Abbott
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
1. Is there anything in your life which you can identify as hindering your walk with the Lord? What is it, and what should you do about it?
2. List the six areas of possible corruption in your life as mentioned above. How might these things hinder your spiritual walk?
3. Can you honestly say, "God has all your heart?" If yes, how is this demonstrated? If no, what needs to change in order for you to allow God to have all your heart?