We're taking one person each week and reading the character study together on Monday.
Then each one of us goes off and prepares or finds a mini-devotion involving that person.
Each one of us leads the others on one day that week.
The characters studied range from excellent, good, bad, down to the worst examples.
(Jesus, David, Ahab, Satan - to name just a few in the book)
Week of 06 Jan 2014
We are in the second week and our character is Ahab.
We are always running.
And we either run TO things or run FROM things.
That, in itself, is neither good nor bad.
I should run to good things and run from bad things.
Run to mama/papa.
Run from the temptation.
Run to the ice cream truck.
Run from the dentist (by not even making the appointment).
Run to the bank.
Run from the bill collector.
Run to my favorite thing that I THINK is good for me. Is it?
Run from what scares me. Should it?
Run for your lives!
"Should" is the operative word.
What I actually do is usually another thing entirely.
And why I'm doing it is really what makes difference between whether it is good or bad.
Ahab's biblical record is one of
...Running TO bad things [1 Kings 16:29-34] {mostly}
- Jezebel [a GREAT example of a bad influence/enabler]
- Idols
- Alliances with people who just wanted to exploit him and his kingdom
...and Running FROM good things
- Responsibility [1 Kings 20:1-12]
- Elijah's advice [1 Kings 18:17-21] (the good guy whose life had lots of running, too [1 Kings 18:45-46])
- God [1 Kings 21:20-29]
I said "mostly" because when Ahab acknowledged the Lord's power he achieved victory. [1 Kings 20:13-21].
But alas - it was not to last. (1 Kings 20:36-1 Kings 21)
We use Ahab as a "what not to do" example.
I should run to the good things of God and run from the bad things of this world.But how can I tell good from bad?
Stop running.
Start sitting, studying, reflecting and praying with God's Word.
Every day. Every time you find yourself running out of control.
How do you start? How about here?
(http://whataboutjesus.com/the-bible)
