DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONAL: OCTOBER 15 AGE OF SPIRITUAL DECLINATION (2) SCRIPTURE: HOSEA 7: 9; PSALM 106: 35-37; JOHN 15: 16; 2 TIMOTHY 3: 5
Yesterday’s devotional brought us the awareness of evidences that the world has come to an age of spiritual declination; where some Christians as well as some members of religious organizations burning with zeal have started running cold and becoming unconcern with godliness and piousness. Prophet Hosea, as seen in yesterday’s devotional, said people of Ephraim and Samaria (the Israelites) had their hair “…sprinkled with grey, but he does not notice” (Hos. 7: 9). This “grey hair” means prophetically that Ephraimites and Samaritans grew tired of their love for God and fainted in their faith in God. The word “grey” here stands for deceit, adultery, prayerlessness, worldliness, unfruitful service, empty formalism and rebelliousness which the Ephraimites and the Samaritans adopted from the nations around them.
Falsehood and spiritual adultery were mentioned yesterday. People are seen these days, moving from where the truth is preached, moving or cress crossing from denominations to denominations. This is a mere show of spiritual prostitution. This attitude affected prayer life of many. *People pray less by themselves today while they gather around miracle workers and “powerfully anointed servants of God” receiving prayers. Till today, God wants people to individually talk to Him in prayers and not passing through people. He said “Come and let us reason together…” (Isa. 1: 18). *Jesus frowned at His disciples for failing to ask Him in prayers while He was alive with them by saying: “Until now, you have not asked for anything in my name me…” (John 16: 24 NIV).
We see worldliness reducing the zealousness of many Christians of this age. Separating ourselves from the practices and customs of the world have become very difficult today. Some Christians mingle with the worldly people in idol worshipping, worldly fetish practices, getting through sexual relationships, not only for pleasure but for sacrificing their children, wives, husbands etc. for rituals (Psa. 106: 35 – 37). These actions make many declined spiritually as well as stopping observers from seeking the righteous power of God. *There is need to touch unfruitful service as spiritual declination too. Churches are being taken over by use of human powers and intelligence in getting wealth leaving the true move of the Holy Spirit aside. Once the Holy Spirit is not involved in conversion, real fruitfulness is seemingly absent in Churches.
This takes us to empty formalism in the church as spiritual declination too. This talks of being a Christian for being sake. Jesus asked His disciple to go and bear fruits that will last; and, Apostle Paul talked of godless people, having the form of godliness but denying its power (John 15: 16; 2 Tim. 3: 5). Age of spiritual declination is much around us today. But it is for the good of the church of God. It is so around for the true worshippers to be selected. God is looking for those who will stand till the end. Can someone pledge standing with God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit today?
PRAYER:
LORD JESUS, grace me with the grace of Noah and Joshua who stood righteously in the midst of polluted and corrupted societies of their age, so that I will not lose out. Grant all who believe in you this grace. Amen.
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