A revealing passage of Scripture relative to the production and accumulation of both negative and positive “receipts” (proofs of obedience or disobedience) is found in the Old Testament where God is speaking to His chosen people–the House of Israel–concerning His dealings with them in the future. In this instance He is speaking to King Solomon about the receipts they might, and based on their past, produce in the future. In verse 13 the Lord warns him about the curses He might place on their land, its production capabilities and their livelihoods in that they were totally dependent on agricultural production for everything they had. How He would deal with the people through the land tells us that He knew what they would eventually do and how He would respond in both negative and positive ways depending on their response to His actions.

Keeping in mind that nothing happens without God’s knowledge, let us begin with verse 13 He addresses how He would (will) react to the Israelites’ “wicked ways” (vs 14). He says: “If (when) I (God) shut up heaven so that there is no rain, or if (when) I send locusts to destroy the crops, or if (when) I send disease to afflict the people.” Notice in verse 14 that He is telling Solomon how He will react to how they will have been conducting their lives–their receipts. Here God says: “If My people, who are called by My name (“Israel” anciently and “Christians” now–Isa. 62:2/ Acts 11:26) will humble themselves (a receipt), pray (a receipt), seek My face (a receipt) and turn from their wicked ways (a receipt), THEN I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land. THEN My eyes will be open and My ears will hear their prayers.”

Concerning the Lord’s promise to “look upon them,” we must understand that God cannot look upon sin or sinners (Hab. 1:13), including those who are His people who are called by His name (Israelites and Christians). The sins of His people creates an iron shield between them and the Lord (Lev. 26:19) which prevents Him from looking upon them and hearing them. Their sins also causes Him to remove His Holy Spirit from within them (Ps. 51:11), thereby totally separating Himself from them (Isa 59:2), thereby leaving them at the mercy of Satan. These are negative receipts which cause more sins if they do not truly repent and do what God tells them to do in the focal passage. Let us return to that passage.

In verse 14 we find the premier receipt which must be attained and maintained in order for the repentant to regain his position with the Lord. Here he is told to TURN FROM HIS “WICKED WAYS.” Keep in mind that He is speaking to “My people who are called by My name.” Today they are called Jews and Christians. To “turn” means a 180 degree “about face” away from where the sinner’s eyes have been looking. We walk in the direction in which our eyes are focused. What do we look at? This turning from sin also involves our ears. What do we listen to? I watch very little television and do not own one of those hand-held thought substitutes that everyone stares into constantly. However, I am continually around people who can’t lay them down long enough to exercise, take a walk, eat, drive, converse, etc. I was rear-ended by a fellow doing about 70 as I was stopped at a highway repair location. He was gazing into his life source when he hit me full blast. He did not see me until he was about 20 feet from me. I came to in the E.R. almost an hour later. If I wrote a book about this generation I would title it The Zombie Generation: Life in a Box. Having no inner life, millions of people, including church people, live in in their hand-held reality creators. Millions of hours are wasted daily as people choose to contact whatever is on a screen rather than God’s Word. His command to “redeem the time” He allots us is ignored (Eph. 5:16) is ignored to mankind’s peril.

Why is the Western World addicted to screens? Because the civilized masses have no inner life. They know only what comes into their minds from external sources. Have you noticed what is happening out there where those external sources originate? True saints spend their free time studying God’s Word, talking with Him, enjoying the beauty of His creation, what little there is left of it. We have little time in this life; what we do with it determines our eternity. I was once hooked on cop shows and sports. I asked God to deliver me from my addiction. He did so immediately and totally because He knew I meant business. I offer this as a rule to live by: If you would not ask Jesus to join you, don’t do it–with the obvious exceptions, of course. What we deliberately see and hear are receipts that determine what we think about, talk about and do, which are our receipts. Let us make certain that our receipts please the One who holds our future in His hands. L.J.