March 21, 2014 - Friday

Start Time:  7:07 A.M.

End Time: 7:47 A.M.

Title: Micah’s Idol

Scripture: Judges 17:1 – 13

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→ Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim  said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels^[a] of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have that silver with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “The Lord bless you, my son!”  When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I solemnly consecrate my silver to the Lord for my son to make an image overlaid with silver. I will give it back to you.”

NOTES:

Ø God blesses those who are honest and returns what was loss to His people!  Even though it was the mother who blessed her son for returning what was lost from her, our God also encourages the same actions for He is the God of truth.  God designed us to see restoration as good and even humans, consider it a blessing to have what was loss restored in their lives.  Our Lord is the ultimate source of all restoration and when we are in Him, He restores everything that was taken away from us by our enemies!  Hallelujah!

→ So after he returned the silver to his mother, she took two hundred shekels^[b] of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol. And it was put in Micah’s house. Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household gods and installed one of his sons as his priest. In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who had been living within the clan of Judah, left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way^[c] he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim. Micah asked him, “Where are you from?” “I’m a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he said, “and I’m looking for a place to stay.” Then Micah said to him, “Live with me and be my father and priest, and I’ll give you ten shekels^[d]of silver a year, your clothes and your food.” So the Levite agreed to live with him, and the young man became like one of his sons to him. Then Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house. And Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest.”

NOTES:

Ø God has placed in us a desire of worship to Him in our hearts!  Just like the mother who after receiving her restoration thought of making an idol as an appreciation or thanksgiving of the blessing that came in her life.  But since she looked upon her son’s ability and kindness instead of God’s, her thanksgiving act became a trap for them as she created an idol instead of worshiping and praising the One True God!  We are designed to give thanks to our Lord and if we looked upon our own efforts and skills, we will misunderstand that desire and act in humanly effort which will always fall short in the eyes of the Lord.  Good thing that Jesus came and gave His life, now He can be seated at the throne of our lives.  Let us always look upon the Lord and thank Him for every good that come in our way for all good and perfect gifts comes from Him and Him only.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, the God of restoration, thank You for You have replenished what was drained out of me by my enemy.  Thank You for everyday You faithfully restore everything I need to sustain me and keep me going for the day.  Thank You Jesus for You have designed me to have a desire to be appreciative always for all the good things in my life.  Thank You because You have created me with a heart of thanksgiving and a desire to worship and praise You.  Lord, I pray that I will continue to grow on these desires even when circumstances doesn't show or drive me to do so.  Let my heart be driven to worship and praise You because of Your love, grace and favor that showers upon me each day and not because of what my eyes can see only.  In Jesus’ Name, amen!