Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

22 June 2024

Reading From I Kings 12-14

Then he rode after the man of God and found him sitting under a great tree. The old prophet asked him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”

“Yes, I am,” he replied.

Then he said to the man of God, “Come home with me and eat some food.”

“No, I cannot,” he replied. “I am not allowed to eat or drink anything here in this place. For the Lord gave me this command: ‘You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came.’”

But the old prophet answered, “I am a prophet, too, just as you are. And an angel gave me this command from the Lord: ‘Bring him home with you so he can have something to eat and drink.’” But the old man was lying to him. So they went back together, and the man of God ate and drank at the prophet’s home.

Then while they were sitting at the table, a command from the Lord came to the old prophet. He cried out to the man of God from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: You have defied the word of the Lord and have disobeyed the command the Lord your God gave you. You came back to this place and ate and drank where he told you not to eat or drink. Because of this, your body will not be buried in the grave of your ancestors.”

–I Kings 13:14-22

     These events occurred as the nation of Israel was being torn apart following the idolatry of Solomon, his seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines.  The man of God from Judah had been given instructions directly from Yahweh and was following them obediently while the old prophet, who apparently had at times also heard from God, deceived the man from Judah.  This derailed the servant from Judah’s mission and led to his death.

     It is vital for all sons and daughters of the Most High God to follow His Word carefully.  We must get to know the Scriptures by thorough study, meditation and putting its wisdom into practice.  Every member of the eternal family of God is a minister.  The Great Commandment and the Great Commission were given to every born again follower of Jesus. 

     We are called to be a holy nation of royal priests and priestesses.  As such, we must listen for the voice of our Great High Priest and follow Him.  Sometimes other men and women of God have differing ideas.  We must know what God has spoken to our hearts, be sure that the direction is in alignment with His written precepts, and be faithful to what He has called us to do.  Just because someone claims to have a message from the Lord does not make it true.  Measure all things with the plumbline of the Word of God.

“God, give Your children wisdom and discernment in following You.  I pray that we will be faithful to what You have called us to do.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!

 –Galatians 1:8-9

Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good,  reject every kind of evil.

–I Thessalonians 5:20-22

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

 –Acts 5:29