Daily Devotional: 5/16/2018 - THE BERLIN WALL

"if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land"  2 Chronicles 7:14.

We are called, we all have a purpose on this earth. Whether you are a chef for a "Mom and Pop Diner" or be the President of a multi-billion dollar company, we are share the same purpose. That purpose is to spread the great news and love of Jesus Christ. The Israelites were literally his people. He chose and called them out of all the nations in the world. God did so much for them. He brought them out of Egypt, he helped them defeat countless armies and nations that they had no business in defeating, and he blessed them immensely. He gave them food, water, land, and people; he gave them everything. He even sent prophets and signs on how to live, but they still did wrong against him. They still did not believe in him, they still left him, they still crafted other gods and idols. We do not have the signs, the prophets, or even the physical form of Jesus like the people of the past had. But there is one thing that we have that they did not have. That is the Bible. We have the accounts of everyone in the past, from the good, the bad, and the ugly. We have the accounts of Jesus and all his teachings. We see how people are still effected by the Word today (it changed me and my life). The one thing that is truly amazing about our God is that believing in him is a choice. Our God does not want to force anyone to believe in him. It is us to believe in him and to do his will. Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." God wants us to come to him and be with him, but he will never force us to be with him. There is no true love in forcing someone to do something, even when everyone knows it is the right decision. Life is so much easier when you accept to live and be with God. We have to seek his face, we have to give up our old ways. We have to first seek his kingdom and all things will fall into place (Matthew 6:33). When we seek his kingdom and put him first we are humbling ourselves. It shows that he is now number one in our life and that nothing is above him. Naturally as people we are "me, me, me and I, I, I" kind of people, but in order to follow Jesus we have to be the opposite. Jesus tells his that in order to be his disciple we "must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow him," (Mark 8:34). We have to be able to take up the cross daily, not just once or twice, but all the time. Jesus bore the cross and gave up his life in order for our sins to be forgiven. When we humble ourselves and bear the cross we turn from our wicked ways. If we do not turn from our wicked ways we are killing ourselves to sin. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the FREE gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." God is free and his love is free and unconditional. He does not want us to sin, but when we do we build a wall against him. "Surely the arm of the Lord us not too short to save, nor his ear to dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained in blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken falsely and your tongue mutters wicked things," (Isaiah 59:1-3). Think of it this way, every time you sin you lay down a brick. If you continue to sin and go against God and his will sooner or later you will have built a wall. A brick wall is meant to withstand and keep a lot out. In the "Three Little Pigs" the brick house was the one that the wolf could not knock over. That brick wall that you are building is separating you from God and his love. He is pushing him further and further away from you. You have to break that wall. The way you break that wall is through embracing the light, praying and repenting. You have to repent and allow God to forgive you. Allow the Word shine bright in your life, allow it cut your soul. Allow the Word be the sledgehammer to your wall, allow it to knock down the wall you built between you and God. The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989; it was up for 10,316 days, which is more than 28 years. Let the wall that you have built between you and God fall yesterday.

Lord, thank you for all you do for us. Thank you for giving us the choice to follow you and not being a demanding god. I pray that even though we sin everyday, that you continue to shine bright in our lives. Allow the your Word be the sledgehammer to our wall, allow it to fall. Your arm is not too short and your ear is not to dull. Allow us to repent. Forgive us. I pray this in Jesus's name, Amen.

#LetsBeAMovement