Tag: #HoldingForththeWord

Until He was Strong … Part 7

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We learned in “Until He was Strong…Part 6” that King Amaziah did not follow God with a perfect heart. I often wonder, how does the way I live my life with respect to my relationship with God affect my children.  In many cases in the Biblical records we do not get a complete picture of the home life and how the children are raised.  We see that often times both their king father is known and, often times, their mother’s name is mentioned.  Regardless, many of the mistakes of the father are either repeated or the next king completely changes his ways to be opposite of his father.  In the case of Uzziah, this does not seem to be the case.  It states of him that “he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.  And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper. (2 Chronicles 26:4-5)”

Wow!  There is a lot packed into those two verses.  First, we see that he did that which was right in the sight of God.  In other words, he probably obeyed God’s commands.  We are not given much of King Uzziah’s story in the Bible.  His reign is shared in 2 Chronicles 26 and very briefly in 2 Kings 14; yet, he ruled for 42 years.  In that time, the nation prospered, and the desert areas were reclaimed by his water conservation plan.  He also reconstructed Jerusalem’s walls and added towers and engines of war (all discussed in 2 Chronicles 26).  Thus, it appears that Uzziah prospered.  However, in verse 5, we also see that he sought God “in the days of Zechariah.”  Does this sound familiar?  King Joash “did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.”  (Remember back to “Until He was Strong…Part 5”) Once again, someone is only following God while there is someone for accountability.  It definitely reminds us that we need to have that accountability, but it also reminds us that we need to be strong in the Lord even when there is no one “watching” us. 

The second thing that we see of King Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26:5 is that “as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.”  This statement was true until we see that he warred against the Philistines and won great battles.  It tells us in verse 7 that “God helped him again the Philistines” and many other enemies.  Other kingdoms then started giving King Uzziah gifts and his fame spread even to Egypt.  Then, (I bet you can guess it) King Uzziah “strengthened himself exceedingly. (v. 8b)” This is when he began his building projects, which were all good for Jerusalem and his country.  In verse 15, we see the phrase “for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.”  Did you catch it?  “Until he was strong”! 

Now we see the demise of King Uzziah.  In 2 Chronicles 26:16, we are told, “But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD (where only the priests were to go) to burn incense upon the altar of incense.”  It was at that point that the priests (81 of them) went into the temple and withstood King Uzziah telling him that he was not to be there… “for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.”  However, King Uzziah was angry and he had a censer in his hand ready to burn the incense (again, not allowed for any but the priests).  While he was standing there angry “with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. (v. 19)”  Right before the priests’ eyes, Uzziah came down with leprosy, spreading over his face.  They threw him out of the temple, which he was also hasting to leave “because the LORD had smitten him. (v. 20).”

What a sad way to end your reign as the king of God’s chosen land.  He actually reigned for 52 years (the last few years with his son as he could not be in the land with leprosy).  That was it.  That as the end of his life.  He had done all these great things, but in the end, he was remembered for his pride.

We must be careful that when God blesses us, and all that we do, that we not get lifted up with pride.  We may think that we strengthen ourselves, but we must remember the one who really gives us our strength.

Until next time… seek God, with or without someone holding you accountable and be strengthened in the Lord and DO NOT become PRIDEFUL!!!

Look for “Until He was Strong…Part 8” about King Uzziah’s heritage. 

Until He was Strong … Part 6

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After King Joash was killed by his servants, his son Amaziah began to reign in his place.  The first thing we read about King Amaziah is “… he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.” (2 Chronicles 25:2) The first question then should be, what does it mean “not with a perfect heart?”  It means “complete” or “whole”.  We might say it this way, “he did not do that which is right in the sight of the LORD whole heartedly.” 

At first, it appears that Amaziah did follow the Lord’s heart.  He killed off the servants that had killed his father.  Of course, he probably thought he was doing justice in doing that.  Most kings would have gone further in his day (in both his country as we’ve seen before within their own families and in those kingdoms around Israel).  They would have killed even the sons or family members of those who had killed his father.  However, King Amaziah did not kill their children as it states of him in verse 4 “… but he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.”  In other words, King Amaziah followed God’s laws and showed mercy to the family members that may have feared him.

Next, he gathered men together to fight against the Edomites (an enemy of the Israelites).  He gathered both men in the kingdom of Judah (of which he was the king) and he hired men from the northern kingdom of Israel (which had already turned away from following God).  However, before King Amaziah went into battle, a man of God came to him and told him not to take these men from the northern kingdom of Israel into battle with him.  Instead, he was to trust God:

“God hath power to help, and cast down… The LORD is able to give thee much more than this” (2 Chronicles 25:8-9)

So, King Amaziah sent the hired soldiers back home.  The it states that “Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, …” and he won the battle.  What is notably absent from Amaziah’s battle was thanking God for the victory.  In fact, it states that “he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them. (2 Chronicles 25:14b)” Why would he do this?  Of course, the LORD was angered by this and sent a prophet to say, “Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand? (v. 15b)” 

King Amaziah did not stop there.  He then determined to fight against the northern kingdom as the hired soldiers who were sent back from the previous battle had “fallen upon the cities of Judah… and took much spoil. (v. 13)” After the battle with the Edomites, King Amaziah went against the northern kingdom and he lost the battle because, as God said, “they sought after the gods of Edom. (v. 20).”  At the end of King Amaziah’s life, it is said that “Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD” and his own people killed him. 

We learn here that if we are going to follow the LORD, we must do so with a “perfect” heart.  King Amaziah did some of the law of God, but he then turned and worshipped other gods as well.  We are told in Matthew 6:24 that we cannot worship god and “mammon”, meaning any other thing.  Also, Jesus states in Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”  So, what is God’s will?  That we believe on his Son Jesus Christ as both our Lord (Master) and Savior, and that we do His will in not following other gods.  In other words, we are to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. (Luke 10:27)”… with a “perfect heart.”

As we continue to see how the kings followed God, until they were strengthened, let’s ask God to give us that perfect heart.  Watch for the doings of King Uzziah in “Until He was Strong…Part 7”.

Until He was Strong … Part 5

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Today we are going to look at the next king of Judah, Joash.  Remember that Ahaziah’s mother reigned for six years after killing all of Ahaziah’s brothers so that there would be no king left on the throne.  However, there was a daughter of the previous king, and aunt to Ahaziah’s children, who had hidden the youngest brother, unbeknown to Athaliah.  This child’s name was Joash.  The aunt that hid him was named Jehoshabeath who also happened to be the wife of Jehoiada the priest (see 2 Chronicles 22:11).

When the seventh year of Athaliah came, Jehoiada the priest strengthened himself by taking many men, including the captains of hundreds, the Levites, the chief of the fathers and all the congregation and made a covenant to bring forth the king’s son to reign “as the LORD hath said of the sons of David. (2 Chronicles 23:3)” After setting King Joash up to be king, and killing Athaliah, we see the following:

“And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD’S people.” 

2 Chronicles 23:16

Remember, King Joash is only seven years old at this time.  So, it is not surprising that Jehoiada the priest is leading the way.  In 2 Chronicles 23:16-21, we see Jehoiada breaking down the house of Baal, the false god, and setting in order the ways of the God as “written in the law of Moses” (v. 18).  This is where the story because sad, in my opinion.  It is stated that King Joash began his reign at the age of seven and…

“…Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.” 

2 Chronicles 24:2

Joash wanted to repair the house of the Lord.  So, he had money collected to do so.  When the money was to be distributed for repairing the house of the Lord, King Joash and Jehoiada distributed the funds for the work.  Once the work of repairing the house of the Lord was complete, “…they offered burnt-offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada (v. 14). Did you catch it?  Here is that phrase again, “In the days of Jehoiada.”  After this, Jehoiada died at the ripe old age of 130 years old.  Wow!  This man must have had such wisdom as he followed the Lord all the days of his life and we know that we grow in wisdom when we follow God.  At this time, however, is where the story of King Joash turns sad.  We are told the following:

“17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king.  Then the king hearkened unto them. 18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.  19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.” 2 Chronicles 24:17-19

2 Chronicles 24:17-19

It seems that after the priest Jehoiada died, King Joash listened to people rather than to God.  He then saw some of the consequences and seems to have attempted to bring the people back to God.  But, that is not the rest of the story.  In the next few verses of 2 Chronicles 24, we see that the son of Jehoiada went in the Spirit of God to King Joash and confronted him about transgressing the commandments of the LORD.  In fact, his words were, “ye have forsaken the LORD, (so) he hath also forsaken you. (v. 20)”  You would think that King Joash would heed these warnings.  Afterall, he saw great success and prosperity in his land while Jehoiada was alive, but this is not what happened.  Instead, King Joash had Jehoiada’s son stoned to death and it says, “Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him. (v. 22)” Within that year, the Syrians came against Judah and won “because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. (v. 24)” Even Joash’s own servants conspired against him at this time and killed him on his bed. 

So, what is there to learn from King Joash?  We CANNOT just follow the ways of the Lord while we have someone there to hold us accountable.  Yes, we need accountability; it helps us to stay strong in the Lord.  However, we are all personally responsible to God for our own actions.  Let’s not follow God all the days of our Jehoiada.  Instead, let’s follow God all of our days!!! Look for until He was Strong…Part 6 about King Amaziah and see how he personally strengthened himself.  The warning is “Be careful!”

Until He was Strong … Part 4

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Last post, we saw that overall Jehoshaphat sought the Lord when he was in danger and turned the people’s hearts towards God when they were afraid.  However, we also learned that Jehoshaphat, like us, didn’t always seek the Lord for his daily decisions, and, thus, made leagues with those that were ungodly bringing harm to himself and his people.  One of the consequences of Jehoshaphat making these leagues was his son turning from the ways of the Lord.

Jehoshaphat made an affinity with evil King Ahab of the northern kingdom by allowing his own son to marry King Ahab’s daughter.  This son was given the kingdom by his father, and the first thing we see him do is “strengthen himself, and kill all his brethren… also of the princes of Israel.”  (2 Chronicles 21:4) He actually walked in the ways of king Ahab and not in the ways of the Lord God.  (2 Chronicles 21:6).  This is what God stated of Jehoram (also known as Joram), “Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever. (2 Chronicles 21:7).  In other words, the only reason that King Jehoram was allowed to reign is because of a promise God made to David in his family line.  Do you often wonder why people who are so evil are allowed to continue without what seems like any consequences?  I sometimes wonder who in their past was a praying grandmother or grandfather in whom the Lord made promises.  The lesson I learn here is this… live in the ways of the Lord and pray for your loved ones.  We don’t always get the blessing of seeing our prayers answered, but it appears that God does answer prayers and follows through on His Word.  Isn’t that just like God?

However, God did appear to remove his mercy upon Jehoram according to 2 Chronicles 21:10 as God allowed the Edomites to revolt “because he (Jehoram) had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.”  What did he do?  He turned the people’s hearts from following God (2 Chronicles 21:11).  However, God warned Jehoram and gave him the chance to repent.  Jehoram did not do so.  Read the rest of 2 Chronicles 21 to see the sad outcome of his life.  The people actually didn’t even bury him in the sepulchers of the kings as he had done so wickedly. 

One of the consequences of Jehoram’s sins was that all of his sons were carried away except his youngest son.  Again, because of God’s promise to King David, this son was made the king.  His name was Jehoahaz (or Ahaziah).  Unfortunately, he reigned only one year as he, too, walked in the ways of King Ahab.  It is no wonder as his mother was the daughter of King Ahab who also walked in the ways of King Ahab since her mother before her, evil Queen Jezebel, had brought false gods into the kingdom of Ahab.  In fact, it states of Ahaziah that “he walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly. (2 Chronicles 22:3)” This was now a dark part of Judah’s history.  When Ahaziah died, his mother “destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah. (2 Chronicles 22:10).  She proceeded to rule for six years.  Again, it becomes apparent that when we don’t follow the Lord’s ways, there are consequences to pay.  Would any of this have happened had Jehoshaphat not made a league with King Ahab?  Would any of this happened had Jehoshaphat asked God about his business decisions as he asked God to help him when danger was present?  Of course, I cannot answer that question for certainty, but it does challenge me to pray for every decision remembering that God cares about the details and every word and deed has consequences. 

We could move onto the next king of Judah who strengthens himself, whether in himself or in the ways of the Lord, but today, I want to stop and just ponder this: do we include God in every decision that we make?  Is He truly a part of our every day lives?  Do we know He is present and cares about every detail of our lives?  He knows our words before we speak them.  His thoughts are too numerous for us to count.  He created us and desires fellowship with Him so there is no where we can hide from Him.  (All from Psalm 139.)  If you have never considered this… that we are to daily abide in Christ (John 15), then ask Him to show you how and let’s make our lives glorifying to God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by including them in our every day lives… in all of our decisions, not just when we are in trouble, but BEFORE we get ourselves into those messy places.  Look for Until He was Strong…Part 5 about King Joash and how he followed the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

Until He was Strong … Part 3

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While studying about the kings of Judah in 2 Chronicles, one finds the continued pattern of kings beginning by following God and then turning away in some way either after they are strong or when they appear to just not need God’s direction any more.  In part 2, we saw that this was the case with King Jehoshaphat.  He “had riches and honor in abundance” because “he sought to the LORD God… and the LORD established the kingdom in his hand.”  However, he made an affinity with King Ahab of the northern kingdom, who lost his life in a battle that God had warned they should not enter, and King Jehoshaphat returned home. 

After King Jehoshaphat returned home, he was told by God (through a prophet) that he should not be in a league with the ungodly, and he was commended because he had prepared his heart to seek God.  (2 Chronicles 19:2-3) Jehoshaphat then set about to turn the people’s hearts back to God.  After this, an enemy came against Judah, Jehoshaphat’s kingdom.  Jehoshaphat “feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast through all Judah.”  He once again asked “help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 20:3-4). The rest of the story is in 2 Chronicles 20, where Jehoshaphat was told that he would not have to fight this battle, but that God would give them victory without any fighting.  Jehoshaphat believed God and said in 2 Chronicles 20:20 “…Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.”  He went so far as to appoint singers to praise the LORD while the enemy was killing itself off.  In the end, God allowed Jehoshaphat’s men to carry away plunder in abundance, “more than they could carry away.” (2 Chronicles 20:25)Wow!  This was an incredible act of God that Jehoshaphat was allowed to witness, to be a part of.  After this, “God gave him rest round about.”  (2 Chronicles 20:30) I would think that after something like this, I would want to seek God every day of my life.  But, alas, King Jehoshaphat, just like me, is human.  At the end of his life, it states that “after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel (King Ahab’s son), who did VERY wickedly.”  Jehoshaphat made ships to go to battle with Ahaziah and it states that “Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works.  And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish” (2 Chronicles 20:37)

So, what do we learn from King Jehoshaphat?  We learn that God is the one that prospers us, and God looks upon our hearts, whether or not we prepare our hearts to seek Him.  God protects us when we don’t heed him, but there are consequences.  We also learn that we need to seek God in ALL of our decisions.  When Jehoshaphat was going to battle or feared, he called on God.  However, it does not state that he asked God about whether he should make an affinity with King Ahab or join himself with Ahab’s son, King Ahaziah.  It is important that we call on God all the time, not just in our battles.  We need to seek His guidance in our affairs as well.  We are not to be unequally yoked and we are to seek God’s wisdom.  In fact, James 1:5-8 states, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  For let not that man think that he shall received ay thing of the Lord.  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”  We see this played out in the life of Jehoshaphat.  He knew that he should seek God, but he did not heed God’s warnings.  Let us learn from our fellow humans.  We, too, are weak and fail.  However, we are to continue growing in our relationship with God and in the knowledge of God and His ways.  Seek God always and for all decisions.  This is the lesson that I take away from King Jehoshaphat’s life.  Look for the next part of “Until He was Strong…Part 4” as we continue to see how the Kings of Judah can teach us the ways of the Lord.

Until He was Strong … Part 2

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In continuing to read 2 Chronicles, the pattern continues with the kings… at the beginning of their reign, they do well in the ways of the LORD, and then, at some point, they either strengthen themselves or stop seeking God as they continue to rule.  This was no different for King Asa’s son, Jehoshaphat.  In 2 Chronicles 17, we see the following about him:

2 Chronicles 17:3-5 “And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, BECAUSE he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim (a false god); But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.  Therefore, the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance.”

It continues to say of Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 17:6 “And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD.”  He even sent people to “teach in the cities” “9 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.” 

Obviously, Jehoshaphat had a heart that desired to follow God.  However, we find in 2Chronicles 18 that something changes.  In verse 1, it states, “Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.”  Now, Ahab was one of the worst kings in Israel (the northern kingdom) who married Jezebel, a worshipper of many false gods.  Ahab was confronted by the prophet Elijah on many occasions because of his idolatrous ways.  An affinity is a marriage alliance.  In other words, Jehoshaphat allowed his son, Jehoram, to marry Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah.  God had given instructions in the Old Testament about who the Israelites could marry.  This daughter came from the marriage Ahab had with a non-Israelite, more specifically, an idol worshipper, outside of God’s will.  When Jehoshaphat allowed his son to marry, this was again a step away from God’s will.  Not only was Jehoshaphat allowing his son to walk away from God’s will, Jehoshaphat was making a league with Ahab who was not following the ways of God.

In the New Testament, in 2 Corinthians 6:14, we are also told not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.  When we do this, we tend to follow the unbeliever’s ways and begin to step away from following the ways of the Lord.  This is, in fact, what happened with Jehoshaphat.  It seems that he knew this.  When he and King Ahab were planning to go into battle, Jehoshaphat wanted to seek God’s will.  Ahab called forth his prophets, but these were not called prophets of the Lord (See 1 Kings 22).  However, Jehoshaphat pushed a bit and asked for a prophet of the Lord.  This prophet (Micaiah) actually told King Ahab and King Jehoshaphat that they should not go into battle because it would not go well with them.  However, the kings proceeded into battle, and they lost.  King Ahab was killed, and when King Jehoshaphat was surrounded by the enemy, he called out to God and 2 Chronicles 18:31 says, “the LORD help him; and God moved them (the enemies surrounding him) to depart from him.”

Jehoshaphat then return to his house in peace (2 Chronicles 19:1) and was confronted by a prophet who said in 2 Chronicles 19:2 “…Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD?”  The prophet also stated that there would be consequences for Jehoshaphat because of his actions, but “3…there are good things found in thee, in that…. Thou has prepared thing heart to seek God.”

You see, Jehoshaphat at first sought God about going into the battle with Ahab; however, he did not heed God’s warning.  Still, in the midst of his despair, he called out to God.  As a result of his not heeding God’s warning, he was to suffer the consequences after he returned home.  We will see later that his son turned from following God because of the affinity that Jehoshaphat had with King Ahab.  Still, Jehoshaphat was commended by God for preparing his heart to seek God.  This is not the end of the story of King Jehoshaphat, but we are out of time now.  Look for Part 3 of “Until He was Strong” for more, and remember, seek God and heed His Words!

Until He Was Strong… Part 1

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In reading 2 Chronicles, I have noticed a pattern with so many of the kings.  They sometimes began their rule with setting things right with God whether personally or for the entire kingdom.  However, as they grew older, they either strengthened themselves or they simply stopped seeking the Lord.  The lessons that I am learning is that, if God allows us years of life, we need to begin in His strength, end in His strength and continue seeking Him all the days of our lives.  Let’s look at the Scriptures to see what lessons we can learn.

Speaking of King Asa (2 Chronicles 14-16)

“And Asa did good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God… 4 And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment… 7 Therefore he (Asa) said because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side.  So they built and prospered.”

2 Chronicles 14

“(through a man who heard from God it was said,) 2 … The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye SEEK him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.”

2 Chronicles 15

                (Notice the word SEEK here)

“4 … when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD god of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them….. 12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul…17… the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.”

2 Chronicles 15

(When the Northern kingdom of Israel was coming against the southern kingdom of Judah which was under King Asa, King Asa sought help from the enemy of Syria “1 In the thirtieth sixth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah (where Asa was the king.  A prophet of God said to Asa)… 7 Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand…. 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.  Herein thou hast done foolishly.”

2 Chronicles 16

(Notice that Asa and the people did not SEEK God, but rather, they sought an enemy to bring them help.)

“12 And Asa in the thirty ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.”

2 Chronicles 16

(This is not to say that the physicians are bad… just that Asa did NOT SEEK GOD!)

How sad it is that Asa’s hear was “perfect all his days” meaning he knew God, he trusted God, he claimed to follow God… and, for the most part, he did.  However, when trouble came later in his life, he didn’t seek God.  Isn’t that just like us?  Sometimes we panic and try to find a way to get help and forget to seek God.  When we get comfortable with where we are, we tend to find ways to help ourselves instead of seeking God first.  Maybe God would use the physicians in Asa’s life.  It is certain that God would not want to use the enemy to help in time of war… but in both cases, Asa did not seek God and, therefore, we will never know what might have happened had he done so.  Don’t let this be the case in your life… and I don’t want this to be the case in mine… Let’s seek God, whether we are weak or strong, and see what He will do!

Be sure to checkout Until He Was Strong.. Part 2 about King Asa’s son and his choices.

Prepare the House – A Revival

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In reading 1 Chronicles this morning, the Lord showed me something that I believe is pertinent for all that call themselves Christians.  This past week, a revival broke out in Asbury University.  What is happening there is remarkable as people experience God’s presence.  Worship and confession and a giving of one’s life to the Lord afresh and anew is part of the reports that are coming from this (what we call) revival!  So, just what is a revival? 

Many Christians spend time with the Lord every day, experiencing His presence by both speaking to Him (praying), learning of Him (reading His Word), worshipping Him (often with music), and listening for Him (sitting still in His presence).  However, a greater number of people who call themselves Christians do not spend time with God.  They go about their daily life barely recognizing God unless it is an exceptional sunset or a particularly hard time in life.  Many do not obey the commands of God.  Why?  Could it be that they just do not think that God’s commands are all that important?

In 1 Chronicles 21 (and 2 Samuel 24), King David knows that God commanded that he should not count the people.  The mere act of counting the people seems to contradict the commands in Deuteronomy 17 for a king not to lift himself up in pride.  David’s heart smote him after he numbered the people (2 Samuel 24:10).  David knew he should not have done it.  However, David was a military man.  He was tempted, it says, by Satan to count the people.  Counting the military men that are available in a nation does not seem like a really bad thing to do.  In fact, it even seems logical to know how many men one has before entering into a war.  However, God had very specifically put it in David’s heart that he was not to count the people.

Don’t we do the same thing?  We know what pleases God’s heart and what doesn’t, but we sometimes think it is such an innocent little thing.  In James 1:17, it says, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”  David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14); he knew what God would want and not want.  Yet, David counted the people. 

The revival in Asbury University seems to me a turning back to the Lord.  People are beginning to realize that they knew God’s heart all along, but they have not been walking according to that knowledge.  David repented of his sin, but not without great consequences for himself and those around him.  Consequences happen to us, too, and to those around us when we do not obey the Lord and follow after His heart. 

My prayer for those that are now turning to the Lord in this Asbury University revival is that they will follow David’s example under the leading of God.  When David’s heart was convicted, he called out to God.  He repented.  He claimed responsibility for his actions.  He asked that others not be harmed because of his sins (1 Chronicles 21:17).  Then God spoke!!  God told David what to do next… and David obeyed.  He purchased land, set up an altar, and worshipped God.  The consequences of his sin had already taken place.  David, and those whom his sin affected, still had to suffer with the consequences, but they were ready to start afresh and anew.  David then realized that he needed to build a house for the Lord where he laid his life down to Him at this altar.  Of course, in history, we know that this is where the temple of God was built, the one known as Solomon’s temple.  David could not actually be the one to build it, as God directed him not to.  Still, David prepared to “build the house of God.”

Building the house of God looks different today.  In the revival happening now, as has always been the case with revivals, people are beginning to build the house of God, the temples… their lives!  We are called the temple of the Holy Ghost in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  (20)  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

My prayer is that all of those affected by the revival as Asbury will truly prepare their lives to be that temple of the Holy Ghost.  My prayer is that they and those with whom they affect will begin to truly live in the presence of God all of the time – that those who call themselves Christians, but have not been walking in obedience to God, but rather living this lukewarm life where they barely take notice of God – will truly taste and see that the Lord is good and will walk in His ways.

God appears to be waking His people up.  He is calling, and always has been, to us to return to the old ways of following hard after Him.  If you are calling yourself a Christian, but you have not taken any notice of God except in the super highs of your life or the super lows, then please ask God to show you where you are missing Him.  He wants us to return to Him.  Remember that those in the church at Laodicea were neither hot for the Lord nor cold (non-believers), but rather “lukewarm.”  And, what was God’s response to them?  He will SPUE (vomit) them out of His mouth.  Being a Christian in a lukewarm state, literally, makes God sick.  Turn back to God.  Follow Him through your Lord Jesus Christ who is both our Savior and our Lord (Master).  Look around and realize that your actions, your faith, affects those around you! Be revived in your Spirit.  Sit now and ask God to move in your heart.  Confess your sins.  He is faithful and just to forgive them… and then, turn with your WHOLE HEART BACK TO GOD!!!

Hearing God’s Voice

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1 Samuel 3

Lately, I have had this strong impression to share with people about God’s love, specifically, His personal love… the one that He wants to show us in our relationship with Him.  God (specifically Jesus, who is God) is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  In the Bible, we read over and over again about people hearing God’s voice or knowing that God spoke to them.  Since God is the same for all time, shouldn’t we expect Him to speak to us still today?  Some people will say (and I used to be one of those people), “Yes.  He speaks through His Word that He has given to us.”  I still totally agree with this statement.  However, I also believe that He speaks to us about every day matters as well, when we have conversations with Him.  The problem with which we seem to struggle is knowing that it is God’s voice and not our own.

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

1 Sameul 3:7

In the book of Exodus, Moses gets called by a burning bush… or so it seemed.  He had to draw close and examine it and then respond to what he heard.  Often times, we believe we may have heard God, but we do not respond. As I was reading this morning in 1 Samuel, it occurred to me that it is because we may not have learned to respond because we haven’t trained ourselves to listen to God’s voice.  In 1 Samuel 3, Samuel is a young boy who is being raised by the priest Eli in the temple of God.  One night, Samuel hears a voice call, and Samuel responds, “Here am I.”  However, Samuel ran to Eli and told Eli, “Here am I,” as he was sure that Eli had called to him.  Eli responded, “I did not call you,” and he sent Samuel back to bed.  This happened three times.  It is stated of Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:7, “Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.”  In other words, Samuel had never heard God speak to him before.

Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

1 Sameul 3:9

The third time this happened, Eli “perceived that the LORD had called the child” (1 Samuel 3:8).  So, Eli gave Samuel instructions about RESPONDING to the LORD’S voice.  These instructions are the same for us today.  Eli told Samuel to say, “Speak, LORD; for thy servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:9).  Samuel did just this and the LORD spoke to him things about Eli and Eli’s family.  In this particular case, Samuel was given a word of knowledge from the Lord.  The point is this, Samuel heard God’s voice, but he did not, at first, know to respond to God’s voice.  As Samuel grew, he learned to hear the voice of the Lord and to communicate to God asking for God’s guidance and direction and help.  In fact, it is stated of Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:19 “And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.”  And this “letting words fall to the ground” is exactly what I believe we tend to do today!

And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

1 Samuel 3:19

If we want a close, intimate relationship with the Lord, we need to spend time getting to know God (i.e. reading His Word) and we need to pray to Him (speaking to God).  However, we often stop there.  We should also spend time speaking to God and listening to God.  When we believe we hear Him speak to us, we need to OBEY!!!  So, how do we know if it is the LORD speaking or simply our own conscience speaking to us.  First, we need to be believers in the Lord Jesus Christ so that we know that the Holy Spirit resides in us.  If we have confessed with our mouth the Lord (Master) Jesus, and believed in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, then we are saved and the Holy Spirit lives within us.  If that is the case, then we know that we are God’s child.  Now, we need to “listen” for God’s voice and “respond.”  When we hear something that we believe is from God, we need to first be sure that it lines up with Scripture.  If it is truly God speaking, He will not tell us something that is opposite to what He has given us in His Word.  For instance, He will not tell us to worship something else or to pray to someone other than God Himself and He will not tell us to sin in any way.  When we speak to God, it is sometimes, literally, a two-way conversation.  Sometimes God provides a verse or comfort to us (as He often did the apostles and King David as seen in the Psalms).  Sometimes He provides direction and guidance (as in the case of Noah and Moses and King David).  Sometimes He gives us a word of knowledge (in the case of Samuel).  Regardless, if we do not take the time to listen, and then to respond, how will we develop that close, intimate relationship with our heavenly Father.

I would like to challenge you today, as I challenge myself every day, take time to spend with God.  Read His Word, pray to Him, and LISTEN and RESPOND!!!!  If you do, you will be amazed at how your relationship with our heavenly Father will deepen and you will gain a sense of peace and joy.  This relationship with God and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the greatest gift we could ever have… and the best relationship for which we could ever ask.  Seek Him and be blessed!

Wisdom, Fear and Stability

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In Isaiah, the LORD is warning the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel (Ephraim and Judah) through the prophet Isaiah.  The LORD is warning of discipline to Judah and its capital of Jerusalem because they had turned away from the Lord.  His main reason for the discipline is stated in Isaiah 29:13-14.

“Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:  14  Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.”

Isaiah 29:13-14

The concern that the Lord expresses here is that although the people were still praising God and speaking of Him, their hearts were not following Him.  Just as in Jesus’s day, men were coming up with ways of fearing God that were not the ways that God intended; thus, the fear of the Lord was being taught by men incorrectly.  God told the people that he was going to do a work among the people so that the “wisdom of their wise men” would perish.  In other words, their wise men would not be able to explain this wonder, and they would not be able to understand.

As I ponder this, I realize many people do not believe in God.  Many are so-called wise.  But, I wonder with what definition we are using to label them as wise.  In Webster’s 1828 dictionary, wisdom and knowledge are defined as follows:

Wisdom – “the right use or exercise of knowledge.” 

Knowledge – “a clear and certain perception of that which exists, or of truth and fact”. 

So, in essence, God is saying in Isaiah 29:14 that the wisdom (the right use of knowledge) will be gone and they will not understand what they are seeing.  They will not understand?  Why?

As I continued to read in Isaiah, I found that God continues to warn Judah not to seek Egypt for help but to trust in God when things begin looking bleak.  The enemy of the Assyrian was prevalent in all of the lands at this time, and, yet, God kept telling Judah to trust Him. Human wisdom would dictate that they had this knowledge about the Assyrians coming toward them so they should seek a mightier kingdom than they to protect themselves — they should send for the Egyptians.  But, God continued to tell them to NOT go to the Egyptians.  The Israelites also had the knowledge of how God had saved them from the Egyptians hundreds of years earlier.  It is interesting to note that, in Scripture, often times, Egypt is a picture of the world.  In essence, God was telling the Israelites not to look to the world for their protection.  Instead, they were to look to him.

In the midst of the warnings throughout these passages, God continues to provide promises to the Israelites.  He promised His provision, if they would trust Him and do things his way… in righteousness.  As I read through to Isaiah 33:5-6, I noticed again the word “wisdom” again.

“The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.  6  And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.”

Isaiah 33:5-6

Look at what these verses say about wisdom and knowledge.  It states that these will be the “stability of their times and the strength of their salvation.”  In other words, understanding the things of God (having the knowledge of God and from God) will make us understand His ways (wisdom) and we will be stable… peaceful, not confused, not shifting in our stance, etc.  In other words, Hezekiah, the King of Israel at the time of the siege of the Assyrians, told his people to trust in God.  The enemy was trying to convince the Israelites to not trust in anyone because it was hopeless.  The enemy stated that the Israelites should not go to Egypt for help as it was useless (as the world’s help often is) and not to trust in God either.  The Assyrians mocked the God of Israel.  Yet, God says in Isaiah 33:5-6 that the people will be stable IF they trust in God.  They needed to fear the LORD more than they feared the enemy.  Notice in Isaiah 33:6 that it states, “the fear of the LORD is his treasure.”  When we see that word fear, we should think a couple of things.  First, God can do whatever He wants; He is God.  We should fear Him, but, we should also think “trust.”  When we fear God, and understand that He can do whatever He wants, then, when He tells us that He will save us, we need to TRUST!  We need to trust more in His Words of promise than in any help we could seek from the world and more than any threat from the enemy.  If we do, we will have wisdom and understanding of the Lord’s ways and it will bring stability to our lives.

Practical applications of this principle occur in our lives many times over.  For instance, we can be afraid of the wars and rumors of wars in the world.  We may set about, as a country, to increase our weapons arsenal and make leagues with other countries for our protection.  We may even think this is what God would want.  Isn’t this like the statement in Isaiah 29 where it says that people draw near Him with their lips (our country asks the nation to pray and say, “God bless our country”), but our hearts are far from Him?  Just watch the news and see the violence and evil in the United States right now… every day, new murders, violence of all types, horrible tragedies created by evil people.  It does not stop there.  We see the morals and values that our country holds in our country’s laws including assisted suicide, abortion, defending any type of sexual relationships outside of a one man, one woman marriage, and so on.  Even our laws allow for behaviors against the Lord’s teachings, not just individuals who walk in the ways against God.  Add to this the fact that people are taught to fear God by men… just pray to Him, do not worry about truly believing in Him or worshipping Him or bowing to His ways.  Another precept taught by men is just think positive thoughts and God will bless us, or, God will answer our prayers if we pray… not even thinking that maybe He won’t answer in a way we want because we do not follow His ways!

Other practical applications happen in our personal lives as well.  We say that we believe in God and we go to church and even pray.  We may read His Word, occasionally.  But, we believe that our relationship is just between us and God and it doesn’t matter if it “looks” like we are Christians or not to those around us.  We say we are Christians and we are not even sure what that means.  We are taught by the precept of man that it means you believe there is a god, that you go to church at least twice a year, that you pray every time you need something, and you memorize those verses in the Bible that promise good things to you.  That is honoring God with our lips, but not following Him with our hearts.  There is a very big difference.  In Isaiah 29:13-14, it tells us that God is going to do wonders, but that we will not understand because our wisdom perishes if we do not know God.  However, in Isaiah 33:5-6, God tells us that if we fear Him, He will bring stability to our lives through wisdom and knowledge.  In other words, we will have His wisdom and understand His ways.  For instance, when bad things happen in our lives (and this happens to everyone… EVERY ONE!), those that know the Lord and fear Him do not panic.  Yes, we may struggle to understand; we may be hurt or scared in our flesh; but there is an underlying peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).  We feel “stable”, sort of like there is a firm rock to stand on in the storms of life.  We have the wisdom to understand God’s ways. 

God promises that He will not leave us or forsake us.  He tells us that He walks with us through our difficulties.  He promises that we will one day not suffer anymore if we choose to follow Him.  It is as if He is extending His hand and asking us to take it.  He is providing us the understanding of how to walk through these storms of life.  He is providing us the knowledge of His ways and the strength of His salvation.  Knowing God, and His ways, makes us strong.  In other words, stability for our lives exists through that wonderful treasure of “the fear of the Lord.”  (That is a whole study all on its own!)

If you do not know Jesus personally as your Lord and your Savior, if you do not fear God above all else, meaning to stand in awe of Him and trust Him and follow His ways in relationship to Him, then ask me.  I would love to share the “stability” of my life with you!

When I Doubt

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Lately, I have had many reasons to be walking on water, so-to-speak, with respect to my faith.  I have seen God move in both my life and the lives of those around me.  I have been keeping my eyes on God through the highs of life, through the exciting things that are happening around me.  In the midst of those highs, struggles have come.  I have been drawn to Jesus because of the storms that swirl around me, and yet, I see Jesus right there beside me and I am not afraid.

This weekend, something different hit me, and I found myself doubting and fearing.  This morning, as I read in Matthew 14, I realized what happened from a Spiritual perspective.  In Matthew 14, Jesus had constrained his disciples to get into a ship after the feeding of the 5000 people.  He sent them away while he sent the multitudes away so that He (Jesus) could go into a mountain to pray.  There came up a storm in the night and the ship, on which the disciples were, was tossed by the waves.  It was literally the fourth watch of the night… the darkest part of the night… meaning it had been a long, strenuous night for the disciples.  During this watch, they saw Jesus walking toward the boat on the sea.  At first, they were troubled and they cried out for fear.  I find it interesting (although this is not the point of this blog) that it wasn’t the storm that troubled the disciples and made them fear, it was the sight of this figure coming towards them that made them fearful!  Jesus spoke and told them to “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” (Matthew 14:27)

Peter then thought he recognized the voice of Jesus and said, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.”  Jesus told him to come.  When Peter came out of the ship, he WALKED ON WATER.  This, for me, is like a spiritual high.  I believe that I am hearing from the Lord and I want to obey.  I am quick to do what I believe he is calling me to do.  That happened about a month ago.  I believed the Lord called me to something.  I prayed for a bit and then felt His confirmation.  I moved forward, made plans, and then continued moving forward… walking on water (so-to-speak).  But, “when he [Peter] saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid” (v. 30) and he began to sink!

This weekend, something about my plans became difficult.  There was a storm thrown into the mix that I did not foresee.  In my flesh, I cried out to God.  I decided in my fear that I was not going to move forward.  I began to sink.  I felt fear and anxiety over the situation.  I was sinking… because of my doubt.  When Peter began to sink, he cried out saying, “Lord, save me.”  I was in that place.  I knelt at the altar and someone, during our prayer time at church, read 1 Peter 5:6, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.”  Humility is simply taking no thought for yourself.  That is exactly what I was doing.  I was fearful.  I was afraid for myself, my emotions, my challenges.  I realized then that God had called me to this.  He knew waaaayyyy before I did what circumstances were going to surround this calling, even if I didn’t know.  He was telling me to do as He calls, not taking any thought for myself.  I need to walk in obedience.

Peter cried out while he was sinking.  He HAD NOT SANK!!  He knew to whom He needed to call out… and he did.  Immediately, Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught Peter.  His words to Peter spoke so clearly to me this morning, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”  (Matthew 14:31)  This all happened WHILE Jesus and Peter were STILL ON THE WATER.

Maybe there are things God calls us to.  Maybe He calls us while we are on a spiritual high (again, so-to-speak).  We are walking in faith, even in the storms of life, and we are feeling brave because we have our eyes on Jesus.  But, then, maybe something gets thrown at us that we didn’t expect.  Remember, Jesus constrained the disciples to get on the ship.  He sat on a mountain praying.  He walked on water to the disciples.  He KNEW the storm was there!  Peter wasn’t sure that he heard the voice of Jesus, but when he was sure, he walked right out onto that water to meet Jesus.  Then, for a moment, he looked away and began to sink.  He didn’t completely sink… Jesus caught Him.  Jesus’s only words to Peter were, “Why did you doubt?”

Oh God, forgive me for doubting.  I am so grateful that You didn’t let me sink.  You showed me that you have “constrained me” for this time/event.  You knew beforehand what storms would come.  You simply want me to walk in humility, taking no thought for myself, and follow you.  You want to show Yourself strong.  You want to be exalted through my humility.  Oh God, teach me to keep my eyes clearly focused on you.  And, when I doubt, as we all do, thank you that you stretch forth your hand and catch us.  Oh God, thank you for your loving kindnesses.  In Jesus’s precious and Holy Name I pray, Amen.

Praying Thanksgiving for Others

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Read the following Scriptures carefully.  What do they all have in common?

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”

Romans 1:8

“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;”

Ephesians 1:15-16

  “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,  4  Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,  5  For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;  6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:  7  Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.  8  For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.  9  And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;  10  That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;  11  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

Philippians 1:3-11

  “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,  4  Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,  5  For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;  6  Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:  7  As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;  8  Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.  9  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;  10  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;  11  Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;  12  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:  13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

Colossians 1:3-14

“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;  3  Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;  4  Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.”

1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 

“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;  4  So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:  5  Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:”

2 Thessalonians 1:3-5

Paul was super excited to thank God for fellow believers.  Why?  What did Paul have to gain?  He gained persecution, poverty, and distress of all kinds.  There was nothing for him to gain by sharing the gospel except more trouble from the authorities and those who did not like the message.  And, yet, Paul was excited when people accepted the Truth of the Gospel and came to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul found the grace of God and shared it with others and wanted others to know that grace too (Philippians 1:7).  Paul desired that those who believed would grow in love toward others (Ephesians 1:15, Philippians 1:9).  Paul was excited that others gained that hope of heaven which spurs us on to love and good works (Colossians 1:5, 10).  Paul was excited that these fellow believers would have a reward … an inheritance and forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:12-14).  Paul was excited that as the believers’ faith grew so did their love for others despite their persecutions (2 Thessalonians 1:3-4).

Some people do not understand this.  Christians are not sharing the gospel and looking for converts to the faith in order to gain riches and popularity.  Oh, I know there are some people that do this.  However, those that are truly in love with Christ just want others to know that same joy, peace and abundance of life.  Like Paul, we share with others and we grieve when others do not understand the truth of the gospel because they are missing out on the greatest grace and joy we could ever have.  Like Paul, we want others to have that inheritance of eternal life.  We want others to experience that joy and love for others despite the hardships of life.  We are overjoyed when we hear of others who are walking in the truth… not because we have anything to gain from it personally, but because we understand the joy that comes from being in relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His Father who is both our God and Father. 

It is interesting that, just as in Paul’s day, when people come to accept the gospel, the Word of Truth, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and truly follow Him (making Him the Lord of their lives), people become more loving to others even when others are not kind to them.  The people who follow Jesus Christ begin to do works of righteousness, not because they are forced to do so, but out of love for others.  The people who follow Jesus Christ begin to labor for others and pray earnestly that others may come to see the truth too.  Why?  Because, in short, God is good and this gospel is truly such good news that we honestly want others to know it too.  This is why Christians pray so fervently for their loved ones who do not know or accept the truth of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ… the gospel of God… the goodness that God has given to us.  Christians pray fervently for those they love, that they would see the goodness of God because it is worth it!  Just as Paul said over and over again, “we thank God” for those that we know that have received because we know that they have found the greatest gift life has to offer.

If you are not a Christian and you know a Christian who is praying for you, please understand that it is because they love you… and, even more, they love Jesus Christ and they want to share that awesome love with you!  Faith, Hope, and Love… these three remain… (1 Thessalonians 1:3) and the greatest of these is love!

1 John Challenge

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This week in reading 1John, and walking through the week with family and friends, I learned something valuable. I love the way God allows us to read something, or brings it to our attention, just at that moment where He is going to give us a real life example. I believe that I learned more from reading 1John this time than any other time. For me, it became one big thought. And, what is that thought? IF YOU HAVE SEEN JESUS, there is an excitement in your relationship with Him. (1John 1:1-3) When that excitement is there, He wants you to hold on to that joy (1John 1:4-5). He then tells us what we gain from this relationship with Him… we can walk in the light and the truth and have a cleansing from our sins (1John 1:5-9). And, yes, we continue to mess up. Who doesn’t ever, ever sin? (No one according to 1John 1:8, except, of course, Jesus Christ.) But, He forgives us when we confess those sins. He does not see us as the failure, He sees us as someone who has done something wrong and we have the chance to make it right!

In 1John 2, John reminds us that it is only Jesus Christ who has given us this ability to be continually in right relationship with God. Jesus is the one who took the penalty for our sins… and not only ours who accept it, but even those who do not. In other words, God does not love someone who does not believe in Him any less. However, they have chosen to not have relationship… which is what the rest of John’s first letter seems to be about… relationship (fellowship).

In 1John 2, we are told how to have fellowship. If we truly know Jesus and understand what He did for us, we will want to follow His ways. Why? because they bring us a peace. He perfects us or completes us. When we are made whole, there is a peace in our lives. If we do not understand the love of God, how can we possibly love others? And, when we do not show love to others, there is such contention. John continues in 1John 2 to show us that we should love the Father and His ways and not the world’s ways. This world WILL pass away. We will come to an end! The talk this week in our home brought to light the concern with the way the world is going right now. John even addresses that! There will be people who are against Christ and against Christians. However, no matter what others might say about you or to you, “This is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life.” (1John 1:25) This is our hope and so we should abide in Christ.

John then seems to stop and reflect on that great love of Christ all over again in 1John 3. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” (verse 1) That love that we accept from God makes us different! The world cannot understand (1John 3:1). I see this truth in those who are not Christians, those who seem to just not understand me. That is okay. There is a peace. “We are the sons of God” (1John 3:2) Because we are the sons of God, we purify ourselves as Christ is pure. Why would we do that? Because we love Him! When we are trying to please our spouse, we do those things that we believe will please that spouse. Why would it be any different with Christ? He was manifested (shown to us) to take away our sins… (v. 5) Because He did this, we should love one another because we should see the great love He has shown us as an example. “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” (1John 3:13) A follower of Christ may look different, and those around them may see them as “holier than thou” or “just ignorant and stupid.” The Apostle John anticipated that too. He said in 1John 3:19 “And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him”. Also, in 1John 3:24, he said, “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us.” What a peace we gain from stepping back and remembering that we are children of God… and that He loves us enough to fellowship with us… to have a relationship with us.

Then in 1John 4, we are warned that not everyone will understand, and that not everyone even wants to. However, we are assured that we overcome what the world throws at us (1John 4:4). When in our hearts we only and always want to speak about God and His ways and His doings, the world does not understand: “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” (v. 6) And how does this truth work itself out in our lives? We love one another because love is of God. God proved that love to us by sending His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. (1John 4:9) If we are living through Him, then we abide in Him, and we do those things He wants us to do and we love others: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (1John 4:11) And, “We love Him, BECAUSE HE first loved us.” (1John 4:19)

John then ends his letter with a great excitement… “For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world.” (1John 5:4) And how do we overcome? “This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.” But, this is not a blind faith as some will say. “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself” (v. 10) “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may KNOW Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (v. 20), which He hath given to us in His Son (v. 11). John tells us that He wrote these things so that we may know that we have eternal life and that we might believe on the name of the Son of God.” (1John 5:5)

Why would John be so bold as to tell us this? Who is He to tell us anything? That brings me back to where I first started… BECAUSE John HEARD, SAW, LOOKED upon, and HANDLED with His hands the Lord Jesus Christ. (1John 1:1) And not only that, John bore witness to what he saw and he so wanted us to all know too. Why does John want us to know? He wants us to experience eternal life because He understood the joy of the relationship with Jesus Christ and His Heavenly Father. Thus, John wrote these things unto us “that our joy may be full.” (1John 1:4) This is always my hope too… that others would come to know the Love that God has bestowed on us through Jesus Christ and that this love is worth more than life itself. I want to share what God has given to me because I have that joy of which John spoke. Would you consider, if you have not already, seeking that joy as well? It begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ!

A Bondservant to the Good Master

In Exodus 20:20-21:6, the Israelites had just received the Ten Commandments.  The people were afraid because they thought that if God spoke with them, they would die.  So, they asked Moses to let God speak to them.  The people then stood far off and the LORD spoke to Moses.  God gave to Moses some additional commandments that the Israelites were to follow.  God explained the type of altar the people could use in order to sacrifice to Him… sacrifices for which were never recorded as being explained to Abraham, Isaac or Jacob before.  God then gave instructions for how to handle certain practices that were already common among the people at that time, not just among the Israelites.  In each of these instructions, one can see God’s hand of mercy in the way the Israelites were to handle these issues. 

One of the first practices that God addresses after giving the Ten Commandments is that of servants (which some may label “slaves”, although this is not the same.   Read Deuteronomy 15:12-15 to see that.).  If the Israelites bought a servant, who willingly sold himself to the master, the master was to let that servant go in the seventh year.  The master was not to see his servants as his personal property, but people who needed jobs or could help them in some way.  At the time when the servant should be set free, he alone could make a choice.  He might actually see that the one who had given him work was a good master.  This servant could choose to remain with his master.  If he were going to do this, he needed an outward sign to show for it.  Why would that be?  Maybe so he couldn’t change his mind later?  It was a mark upon him that he had made this decision to stay with this good master, the master whom this servant loved.  If he did this, he was then bound to serve his master forever.  The mark made on him was a piercing of the ear.  In the King James Version it states that the servant was to be brought before the “judges” for this ear piercing to be performed.  In the Hebrew Interlinear Bible, it states that the word for “judges” is “Elohim”, the same word used of God in Genesis 1.  Now, that is something to consider. 

Why would God place this passage about how servants are to be handled just after providing the Ten Commandments to the Israelites?  Could it be that God wanted the Israelites to have in mind that they, too, have this choice?  They, too, may see that God is a good master, and they will come to love Him?  One has to wonder why God would share about being servants just after the Ten Commandments were given.  Never, in all of history, did God force people to choose to follow Him.  He provided the blessings He promised if they did.  He showed mercy to those who would follow Him.  We are told that He does not wish that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9) and that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked… but would rather that the wicked turn from his ways and live (meaning forever with Him in eternity) (Ezekiel 18:23, 32, Ezekiel 33:11).  And, we know that He says that it is His goodness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). 

God showed His goodness to the Israelites.  He had shown His power over all of the Egyptian gods, including the Pharaoh himself, and set the Israelites free.  He had shown His provision to the Israelites in their wilderness journey before bringing them to Mt. Sinai.  He had provided their daily food (they called it manna).  He provided them meat (quails).  He provided them water, even from bitter waters turned sweet and water from a rock.  He provided them shelter in the trees.  He provided warmth and guidance through a pillar of fire and shade and guidance in the form of a pillar of a cloud.  He taught them about Himself and His provision.  After, and only after, this, God gave them the Ten Commandments.  Summed up, these commandments stated two things.  The first four commandments stated to love God above everything.  Jesus’ first and greatest commandment was “…love the Lord God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:30)).  The last six commandments stated to love others as thyself.  Jesus’ second commandment was “…Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Mark 12:31a)).  Jesus went on to state, “There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31b)

So, God showed His deliverance to the Israelites (Exodus 5-15).  Then, God showed His goodness to them in the wilderness.  Finally, He gave them the commandments that were to bring peace and stability to them.  After this, God begins to expound on these commandments so that they will see how to apply them to their daily lives in their time and culture.  And, one of the first things He expounds upon is how to treat servants.  We, too, are called to be those servants.  A great deal of Jesus’ teachings deals with being good servants. 

Do we see God’s goodness?  Has He delivered you from your sins?  Have you seen the destructive path that we all start on in running from God and His goodness?  Have you been in bondage and now have been set free?  If not, ask God to deliver you.  He hears our voice.  He heard the Israelites cry out and He answered their desperate cries.  He will show Himself strong against all of the gods of this world, just as He did for the Egyptian gods.  And He is the self-existent one, the LORD, Jehovah, who delivers His people.  After that, He cares for you and teaches you.  Are you learning of Him?  Are you coming to know Him and His ways?  Yes, He may lay down the “laws” for you… love God and love people.  Isn’t this what we know within our spirits should happen anyhow?  He wrote these laws upon our hearts (as Scripture tells us in Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10).  Now, He may be asking you to see how good He is.  Do you see it?  Do you want to see it?  Are you willing to be a bond servant forever to the good master (Luke 18:18)?  If so, our lives will look different.  We will be marked.  It will not be an outward piercing of our ears, but an outward change in our lives.  Look for God’s goodness.  Look to the Scriptures to know God more.  The more you know Him, the more you will see that He IS the good master!

One Thing

Have you ever thought, “If I could just do this ONE thing”?  Or, have you ever thought, “I wonder what the most important thing is?”  Or, “If this ONE thing were in place, everything will be okay.”

The phrase “one thing” stood out to me this week in my reading of God’s Word.  One thing!  I decided to do a search in the Bible to see where this phrase is used.  I thought it was interesting because in many places it is used for the “same” thing.  This led me to ponder this phrase even more.

So, what is this one thing?

“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” 

Psalm 27:4

According to King David, he wanted more than anything to be in the presence of God.  Is that our desire?

One day, two sisters were preparing a meal for Jesus and the disciples. Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet and Martha was busy making the preparations. Martha then began complaining to Jesus to make Mary help her.

“But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” 

Jesus in Luke 10:42

Mary was just sitting there at Jesus’ feet, listening to Him teach.  Mary wanted more than anything to be in the presence of Jesus.

One time, there was a man running to Jesus.  This man had a question for Jesus, so he kneeled and asked.

“Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” 

Mark 10:17

What did this man want?  He wanted eternal life in the presence of God.

Jesus answered the man in the following way:  “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.  And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”  (Mark 10:18-21)

Jesus gave the answer so that this man could have that eternal life.  What was that answer?

“Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” 

Jesus in Mark 10:21

In order to have this one thing, to be in the presence of God, we need to follow Christ.  We need to follow the Messiah.  We need to follow Jesus! 

The man in this story went away grieved (Mark 10:22) as he wanted to hold on to his earthly possessions.  Is this something you battle?  Is this something I battle?  If we know for a fact there is an eternity, do we want the pleasure of being in God’s presence for that eternity?  Jesus tells us the way.  God told us in the Old Testament that He would tell us the way.  He told us to listen to the Prophet that would speak all of the words that He commanded Him to speak.  Jesus did this. 

What did Jesus tell us?  I believe He told us that following God and His ways is the most needful thing in our lives.  Sometimes we hold onto anything but that, and yet, as David cried out in Psalm 27, one thing is needful… being in the house of the Lord.  Jesus began His ministry with the phrase “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.”  Did this not mean that God wants us to enjoy eternity with Him?  Jesus told us to change our way of thinking, to turn to God’s way of thinking, and to enjoy the kingdom of God.  This is the one thing that I believe is needful!

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Paul in Philippians 3:13-14

What is that prize?  Eternity with God! 

Oh for the blessed hope of eternity.  Even more than that, the joy that God gives us here on earth.  Jesus tells us that He gives us His joy. 

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

Jesus in John 15:11

There is joy in being with the heavenly Father.  The joy that we can have eternal life.  Only one thing is needful.  Today, I want to sit at His feet and be in His presence… and obtain that one thing that is needful… that relationship with Him.  If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour… if you don’t know the heavenly Father who loves you so very much… and you WANT to know, ask Him to reveal Himself in His Word.  If you need someone to lead you to Him, then ask someone who knows Him… ask me, if you want… but ask. 

TESTIMONY

God knows that it may take someone to lead us to Him.  He states in Isaiah 52:7 and Romans 10:15 that the feet of those that bring the good news are beautiful.  In Acts 8, Philip was taken to an Ethiopian eunuch who was reading the Scriptures in Isaiah.  This eunuch did not understand what he was reading.  Philip was taken by God from a great revival to speak to this one man to explain the Scriptures.  The Ethiopian eunuch then understood and gave His life to the Lord.  God cared enough about him that as he sought the truth, God led him to it through one of God’s disciples.  So, if you are reading the Word of God, and you truly want the truth, do not be afraid to ask God to use others to help enlighten you.  God states in Jeremiah 29:13 “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

I personally know this is true.  I read the Bible through almost four complete times before coming to understand and giving my life wholly to God.  But, at first, I was not seeking a relationship with God.  I was only seeking to know what the Bible said.  When I wanted to have the relationship with God that I saw in others, I asked God to show me… and He did.  Search for Him, and you WILL find Him.  Seek His Word.  It will lead you to the truth.  I am living proof of it!

The Word of God

“Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.” Philippians 2:16-17

Paul, to the Philippians

Why Do I Share?

What is the number one reason that I am writing a Blog about the Word of God? It is for one reason and one reason only. Since I started reading the Word of God, I have truly come to know God in a very real way. He has given us His Word for a multitude of reasons, as stated in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

I began reading the Bible when I was nearly 28 years old. I was interested in what it had to say. In fact, I was so interested in it that I read it completely through from the beginning to the end in a little over a year. After that, my husband and I began going to church for the sole purpose of being able to raise our first baby with “good morals and values.” We then took a Bible study class which required us to read about 85% of the Bible. I took this class three times! The first time, I took the class without my husband. The second time, he joined me. Finally, the third time, my husband taught the class. It was at this point that the Bible actually began to become the “WORD of GOD” to ME!!

You see, there is a difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge. I was learning the “stories” of the Bible at first. However, after I became a born again Christian, the Holy Spirit did exactly what Jesus said He would do. In John 14, Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would teach us all things. It was at this point that my life became alive… abundant… joyful. There was a true difference in me AND in the way that I looked at life. What was that difference?

John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Jesus Christ, the Messiah

The difference was this… now I was hearing from God as my father, and not just “the man upstairs.” I was hearing the heart of God. God was revealing Himself to me because the Holy Spirit was now residing IN me. I had received Christ and God had opened a door of communication to me, through communion (or fellowship) with Him. I began to understand the spiritual significance of what I was now reading. It was no longer just history and stories, but rather, the Word of God was God’s voice speaking directly to me.

John 16:13-14 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

Jesus Christ, the Messiah

There is so much to share about how God has totally changed my life that I cannot possibly include it all here at one time. This is the reason for this blog. As I came to know God through His Word, I could not wait to share what I was learning with others. As I learned more about God, the Words He spoke became milk and then meat for nourishment. As I saw the changes that God was making in my life, as I was better understanding Him, I wanted to share this knowledge with others. I wanted to share the joy that I found. I wanted to share the abundance of life that I was experiencing. Then, one day, the verse in Philippians just jumped out at me. It was Philippians 2:16 in which Paul states, “Holding forth the Word of Life.” That was it. This was the commission that I believe God was giving to me. He wanted (and still does) me to hold forth this life-giving word. I imagine myself holding my hand out with a gift in it… ready to give this gift freely to anyone who will take it. This Word is life changing. It is life giving. It is full of hope and love and joy and peace. This Word of life is everything… as God states. So, here I am, writing a blog to hold forth the Word of Life!

I want to share what the Word of God says, but that is not all. God speaks to us, every one of us. Sometimes we need to take the time to slow down, quiet our minds and listen. I want to share how God speaks. I want to share what God teaches me. I want to share who God is, through His Word. I want to HOLD FORTH the WORD of LIFE and allow God to use it in other’s lives to bring them the joy that Jesus promised… His hope… His joy, an abundant life. Get ready… take His Word and LIVE!!

John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jesus Christ, the Messiah

How to Grow in Faith

Featured

Are you looking around and seeing others that are so “strong” in the Lord and wondering, “How can they trust like that? I wish I had that faith.” Do you know that it is possible for every single believer to have that kind of faith. D.L. Moody stated this: “We must guard against trusting in anything but the Word of God and the Lord Himself.”

The problem is, we doubt… and, oh boy, do we doubt. Is God really hearing me? Does God really care? Why would God allow this to happen? Why would God do this to me? Why would God do this to anyone?

When you first met your spouse (if you are married), did you trust that person COMPLETELY? I am guessing that the answer to that is no, not completely. How could you? You didn’t really know the person. But, isn’t that just it? Once you got to know the person, and maybe you have even been married for years now, you trust that person explicitly with everything. Why? For one main reason, you KNOW him or her.

This is the same principle that applies to a relationship with God. How can you trust a God that you do not know? And, how do you get to know a God that you cannot physically, in person, see or hear? This is why the Word of God is so important. God did tell us about Himself. The more we know of God, through His Word, the more we trust Him. This is why many people who are strong in the Lord are also those that read God’s Word on a daily basis. They KNOW their God. They have learned how God relates to His people and how He operates. They have come to understand God’s ways so that they might know Him more.

Exodus 33:13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

Moses

Moses prayed that He might know God’s ways that he might know God. Isn’t that remarkable? Moses saw God call him from a burning bush. He also saw God do miracles in the land of Egypt and save these Israelites from the Egyptians through the Red Sea on dry ground. By this point in time, Moses had also seen many miracles in the wilderness, including bread from heaven (manna) and water from a rock. Moses saw God descend on Mt. Sinai and give the ten commandments to the people in smoke and fire that covered the mountain… and yet, here, after all of this, Moses is asking God to show him God’s way that Moses may KNOW God!!!

Is this our heart? Do we want to KNOW God? There is one sure way to learn of Him… read His Word. Take the free gift that He has offered which leads to eternal life. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Read His Word. If you need some direction today, read Exodus 33 and 34 and see what happens when Moses makes this request of God.