8/5/2018
"Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them." (Hosea 14:9)
Godless men and women were pretending to be doing the right thing while being void of prudence and judgment. Hosea placed things in their proper perspective when he said, "Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them." Then he added, "for the ways of the Lord are right and the righteous walk in them while the transgressors stumble in them." In our goal-driven, money-oriented, and often humanistic society, there are many questions that are being asked, "Is it profitable? Is it popular? What will I get out of it? How much will I make? Is there any way we can cut corners? How will it make me look? What impression does it make? Who cares? However, there is another question that is often overlooked—IS IT RIGHT?
With all of our advancements in science and technology, we have not outgrown the need to choose the right way. Look around and you will find a world (society) that is broken. Look at the moral patterns, the beliefs and behaviors that result in things like unfair business practices produced by greed, divorces resulting in single parent families, racism, stealing, murders, abortions, dishonest government and dirty politics, homosexuality, drug use, gangs, robberies, evil thirst for power, and many other defiling practices. Because people have rejected God, He has abandoned them to their sin. This is easily seen in societies (including America) where sexual passion knows no restraint, where homosexual perversions are celebrated, where people are married only to divorce and to remarry over and over again, and where each individual's conscience is full of corruption. This was the reason God abandoned the Gentiles as Paul discusses in (Romans 1:18-32) and why they needed the gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16-17). Though man continually and blatantly rebels against Him, God patiently withholds the outpouring of His holy wrath against sin. Yet judgment is certainly coming and sinners will find themselves in the hands of an angry God (Psalms 9:17). Is there anything we can do to save ourselves while there is still time?
The wise man said, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Proverbs 14:34). The Psalmist said, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance" (Psalms 33:12). As individuals and families we must change our bad habits, turn to God, live what He teaches us in His Word, serve one another and make the right choices when temptations appear. I believe America has been the greatest nation on earth because it was built on the Judeo-Christian teachings. However, just as in the days of Noah, the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years" (Genesis 6:3). We must understand that God will not allow a nation, established and once guided by His hand, to continue in iniquity without that nation reaping the consequences that will punish our sins by national disasters and war. We must get back to asking, "Is It Right" and then we must choose to do right, but we must also stand in opposition to that which is wrong (Ephesians 5:11). For America to avoid ruin we must return to righteousness and we must demand it from our leaders.
"Daily Devotions by Guy Roberson"
Walnut Street Church of Christ