THEY REJECTED GOD!!!!!

In my personal devotional time, I am reading through the book of John. Last night, I was studying John 19, when a verse jumped out at me that I previously had been overlooking.

John 19:15- We have no king but Caesar.

Before, when I read this, I understood that the chief priests were denying Christ. However, further thought reveals that they were denying God as well. Can I defend this in scripture? Yes.

In 1 Samuel 8:7, the Jews were demanding a king. God told Samuel that the people's demands for a king constituted their rejection of God. Still, God gave them a Jewish king.

In John 19, Pilate is calling Jesus the King of the Jews, to which the Jews not only reject, but they accept a heathen Gentile, Caesar, as their king. They rejected both God the Father and Jesus by doing this.

So, let's review the history. They rejected God for a Jewish king in 1 Samuel 8:7. Then they rejected the Jewish King for a Gentile emperor in John 19. Jesus correctly assessed their spiritual condition when He said, "Their heart is far from me."

This was not a mere failure to recognize Messiah, nor was it a mistake. It was a well contemplated rejection of God.

Let us be careful not to become so engrossed in the things of this world that we reject God, because we don't want to disturb our status quo.

And let us remember that God is in control of all things. His will is being accomplished. He will provide for and protect us.

We need not accept the Republican or Democratic party as our Savior. Don't use pulpit or Sunday School teaching time to push political agendas. Those candidates are just men out to gain power. Our faith should only be placed in the Lord. He is the one we need to get to know and trust.

And don't let your dreams come between you and God. If you are waiting until you get to a certain standard of living before you follow God's plan for your life... If you agree to be a missionary as soon as the mortgage is paid off, etc etc, then you'll never follow God. It's like waiting to have a baby until you have enough money... it never happens.

Whatever you do, don't reject God. Don't put Him off. Don't put Him on hold. Put Him first in your heart.