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\ / TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT -- http://www.heartlight.org/
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August 14, 2008
VERSE:
Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has
fortified many towns. But I will send fire upon their cities that
will consume their fortresses.
-- Hosea 8:14
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Hosea+8:14
THOUGHT:
In prosperity, God's people left the LORD and followed their own
gods and practiced their own morality. Except neither was "their
own." The northern tribes of Israel simply became like the pagan
people around them -- practicing the same detestable immoral
lifestyles, forgetting the poor and the alien, cheating the widows
and the powerless. God wanted them to know that he knew what they
were doing. The Almighty wanted them to realize that he would act
and bring justice. The Sovereign LORD wanted the northern tribes of
Israel to realize that they have sown their own destruction, and
even though they cannot even fathom its possibility, God made sure
it was coming because of their hardness of heart and their refusal
to live with character. Their destruction is a great reminder to us
that our name of Christian, our claim to be God's chosen people and
his holy priesthood (1 Pet. 2), doesn't matter unless our lives
portray his character, our heart displays his compassion, and hands
do his will.
PRAYER:
Father, forgive us, for we sin. Father, forgive me, for sinning
and looking the other way at social, judicial, and racial
injustice. Empower me, dear LORD, empower us, to truly be your Holy
Nation, bound together by our faith in Jesus and not by our race,
age, nationality, political preferences, or social economic status,
connected by our praise of your glory and exemplifying to the
hate-filled world the grace that comes from knowing you as our
Father. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20080814
Today's Verse is also available in:
PORTUGUESE - http://www.iluminalma.com.br/dph/3/0814.html
SPANISH - http://www.laluzdelalma.com/vdh/3/0814.html
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