Zephaniah 1-3, Philippians 1, Psalm 150
Zephaniah 3:1-2 (ESV)
“Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing
city! She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in
the Lord; she does not draw near to her God.”
As I read today’s Bible readings, I was struck by verses 1
and 2 from Zephaniah 3. The prophet Zephaniah was prophesying to the people of
Judah about the judgment that would come from Father-God for their past disobedience.
Zephaniah talks about the coming destruction of Jerusalem because the city was
full of corrupt oppressors, who were in rebellion against Father-God’s commands
for justice and righteousness. Zephaniah tells us that the city of Jerusalem did
not listen to the Lord. When the people of Jerusalem finally heard the Lord’s
calls for repentance, they did not accept correction. The people of Jerusalem
did not trust in the Lord or draw near to him.
The description of the people of Jerusalem reminded me of my
past self. Father-God has always been in my life, but I was often rebellious. I
ignored the voice of the Holy Spirit and resisted any corrections from Him
regarding my behavior. A friend of mine advised me that my inability to trust
Father-God prevented me from drawing near to Him. I knew she was right, but I
didn’t know how to begin trusting the Lord. I blamed Father-God for everything
that had gone wrong in my life. It wasn’t until I let go of my anger towards
Father-God that I was able to develop a relationship with Him. When I was born
again, the Holy Spirit helped me process my anger and surrender it to
Father-God. Now, I wake up every morning feeling enveloped by His love, and I
feel truly blessed.
If you found encouragement in my reflections on these Bible
verses, and through your faith in Jesus Christ, you want to wake up every morning
to feel the love of Father-God surrounding you and blessing you, then I invite
you to pray the following prayer aloud:
Heavenly Father, I want to give you my Life. Forgive me of
all of my sins. Wash me in your blood. I believe in my heart You raised Jesus
from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Right
now, I receive forgiveness by the blood of Jesus. I am saved, I am forgiven, I
am clean, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of
Father-God! Do yourself a favor and find and join a Holy Spirit-filled, full
Gospel, Bible-based church where you can hear the words of Father-God preached
and experience signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.
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