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Today is Monday April 26, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of I Kings, chapters 12-13. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-april-26

Title: Bible Study: Full Armor of God
As Christians we need to be careful of the advice we get, even from those Christians who may seem older or wiser. While it is a good thing to have Bible studies and church to teach us the Word of God, it is important that we read the Scriptures ourselves. This is the only way that we can discern whether or not what we are hearing from others is truly from the Word of God. Do you know why there are so many different religions and versions of the Bible out there? It is because people want God to be what they want Him to be. They do not want to live by the true Word of God, so, they make things up, create a book with a little bit of the truth in it, and lie to the people, saying this is from God. What they are really doing is hurting people and sadly many people die and end up in hell every day because of their false doctrine. It is important that we all learn the truth so we are guarded with the full Armor of God.

After the death of king Solomon, his son Rehoboam inherited the kingdom, power, and a treasury full of wealth from his father. Sadly, he took the advice of his friends rather than the older men that followed Solomon and knew how he was first hand. “And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;) That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.... And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people? And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:” - I Kings 12:1-4,8-10. Rehoboam foolishly took his friends advice, notice that they said make the yoke (burden) heavy upon the people, but make our yoke lighter. We always have to be careful of advice that gives others a personal advantage. This decision caused ten of the twelve tribes to immediately form the Northern Kingdom of Israel with Jeroboam as king, just as the prophet Ahijah foretold long before Solomon's death (see chapter 11).

Now, Jeroboam had his own problems to deal with, he was now king of the Northern Kingdom, but there was one problem, the Temple was in Jerusalem, the only place in which they were to offer worship sacrifices to God. Fearing that he would lose control of the Northern Kingdom, he foolishly had two altars built within the kingdom. This violated the Word of God that clearly commanded that all worship sacrifices be conducted at the Temple in Jerusalem. Of course this did not fly over too well with God so He sent a young prophet from Judah to confront him. Little did this young prophet know that that trip would cause him to make one wrong decision that would end his life. After this young man rejected all the bribes of the king and went on his way as God commanded he ran into an old prophet, who influenced him to go against what God told him. “He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back: And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee, But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers. And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.” - I Kings 13:18-24. Instead of listening to the Word of God he listened to an old prophet who lied to him and because of that the man lost his life.

The greatest danger to the Church is not the outside world, but in wicked, fundamentally sound believers who, like the old prophet, lie to get people out of the will of God. We need to be on constant guard of those who are quick to offer help or give advice that goes against the will of God. We must be aware of the influence of those who should know the right answers, but whose daily conduct and conversation reveals a life that is rather questionable. It is not difficult to recognize obvious sins such as theft, murder, or adultery and reject them, but we must also be aware of the advice or activities of friends that would get us sidetracked from doing what God has called us to do, even when it seems to be only temporary. Satan loves to make a Christian fall because it weakens the worlds faith in trusting God. To know the truth and to guard ourselves we need to stand firm in the Word of God, it is the only way we can guard ourselves from so called friends and good samaritans who cause us to fall and go against God through Satan. We are to daily, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” - Ephesians 6:11-16.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have an awesome week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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