EXECUTE
Today's reading: Deuteronomy 13-15

"...Since they try to keep you from following the Lord your God, you must execute them to remove the evil from among you." Deuteronomy 13:5 NLT

Execute-to carry out fully; to put to death; to do what is provided or required.

The Israelites were going to have trouble with 'foreign religions' once they set foot in the Promised Land.

God already knew how fickle they were, how weak their faith was, how wishy-washy they were in their commitment to Him.

So He warned them about what would attempt to grab their attention.

And He instructed them as to what needed done in order that they not be detoured.

Execution.

Sounds a little harsh, doesn't it? Especially in a day and age where tolerance is the motto?

But He knew what had to be done and He knew the extent to which it needed carried out.

He asks the same of us today.

To 'annihilate' what drags us away from Him.

To cut the 'life cord' of the things that take our focus off of serving Him wholeheartedly.

To 'do away' with anything that causes our hearts to be torn between the world and our Creator.

To 'disallow' into our homes what He declares unfit for His bride.

It's time we apply His Words to our lives and get rid of what is stealing us from Him.