Today’s Devotion
Topic: Wayward Advice (Part 2)
Text: 1 Kings 13:18-24
18 The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (But he was lying to him). 19 So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.
20 While they were sitting at the table, the word of the Lord came to the old prophet who had brought him back. 21 He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have defied the word of the Lord and have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you.
22 You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your ancestors.’” 23 When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him.
24 As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was left lying on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it. Amen
Today, we’ll discuss wayward advice from Men of God. By the word of the Lord, a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, and prophesied against the idolatry of Israel. King Jeroboam commanded his arrest. However, the hand he stretched towards the man shrivelled up, so that he could not pull it back. Then the king said to the man of God, “Intercede with the Lord your God for me that my hand may be restored.” So the man of God interceded and the king’s hand was restored.
The astonished king now said to the man of God, “Come home with me for a meal, and I will give you a gift.” But the man of God answered the king, “Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread nor drink water here. For I was commanded by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.”
Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons told him everything that has happened. Out of some ulterior motive which is difficult to phantom, this old prophet decided to chase after the man of God. He met him under an oak tree and LIED THAT AN ANGEL OF THE LORD HAD INSTRUCTED HIM TO BRING THE MAN OF GOD HOME TO LUNCH. SADLY THAT BECOME THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR THIS RATHER POWERFUL MAN OF GOD.
Beloved, beware of any counsel you receive from so called “men of God” and “prophets” which are contrary to the Word of God. More power than anointing and sacrifice, is obedience. TO OBEY GOD’S WORD SPOKEN DIRECTLY TO YOU IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN TO PLEASE MEN.
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