Tag: great strength

2.u. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart.

2 Chronicles 25:1  Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart. And as soon as the royal power was firmly his, he killed his servants who had struck down the king his father. But he did not put their children to death, according to what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, “Fathers shall not die because of their children, nor children die because of their fathers, but each one shall die for his own sin.”  Then Amaziah assembled the men of Judah and set them by fathers’ houses under commanders of thousands and of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He mustered those twenty years old and upward, and found that they were 300,000 choice men, fit for war, able to handle spear and shield. He hired also 100,000 mighty men of valor from Israel for 100 talents of silver. But a man of God came to him and said, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel, with all these Ephraimites. But go, act, be strong for the battle. Why should you suppose that God will cast you down before the enemy? For God has power to help or to cast down.” And Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do about the hundred talents that I have given to the army of Israel?” The man of God answered, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.” Then Amaziah discharged the army that had come to him from Ephraim to go home again. And they became very angry with Judah and returned home in fierce anger. But Amaziah took courage and led out his people and went to the Valley of Salt and struck down 10,000 men of Seir. The men of Judah captured another 10,000 alive and took them to the top of a rock and threw them down from the top of the rock, and they were all dashed to pieces.

Psalms 33:16-20    The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.  The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.  Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,  that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.  Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.

Job 5:18    For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal.

Psalms 20:7     Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Proverbs 10:22     The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

Philippians 4:19     And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Amaziah did right in the eyes of the Lord but not with his whole heart.  I wonder how we would live now if we knew this is what the Holy Spirit would inspire people to write about us.  Would we commit to living differently or be content with knowing we were not giving to God or serving God with all our heart, mind, and soul?  Would we confess it once we became aware of our divided heart?  Would we turn away from how we think and act?  Would we make an intentional choice and commitment with our whole heart, mind, and soul?  Would we listen?  Would we act? Would people see a change?  Would His Word be all-important to us?  Would we hunger and thirst for it?  Would our days seem dark and without purpose without it?  Would our ears be tuned to hearing His leading?  Would our faith, trust, and reliance be different?  Would our peace, joy, and love be visible?

We can pretend quite well, can’t we?  We tell ourselves that we are good enough and we serve God enough and we give Him enough of our time and we do enough right things to be ok.  We allow self to rule our heart in such a way that we are never able to find the peace and joy that comes from an intentional choice to yield our whole heart, mind, and soul.

It is very easy to live pretending you are giving it your all, just neglect His word and convince yourself that attending church is giving it your all.  We can all yield more, die to self more, listen, follow, and obey more but that would mean we give all our heart, mind, and soul to humbly serving, honoring, following, trusting, obeying, and relying on God every moment of every day.

Fallow Ground

Hosea 10:12  Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors,

Galatians 6:7-8     Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Psalms 33:16    The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

Psalms 52:7     “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

Psalms 62:10     if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

Ecclesiastes 9:11    Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.

Charles Finney had some very good thoughts fallow ground

The expression, “Break up your fallow ground” – break off all your evil habits; clear your hearts of weeds, in order that they may be prepared for the seed of righteousness. Land was allowed to lie fallow that it might become more fruitful; but when in this condition, it soon became overgrown with thorns and weeds. The cultivator of the soil was careful, to clear the field of weeds, before sowing seed in it. So says the prophet, “Break off your evil ways, repent of your sins, cease to do evil, and then the good seed of the word will have room to grow and bear fruit.”

Hosea addresses them as a nation of backsliders, but uses words that farmers and shepherds are familiar with. He rebukes them for their idolatry and sharply warns them of the impending judgments of God.

Fallow ground is ground which has once been tilled, but has gotten hard and now lies waste. It needs to be broken up and made soft again, before it is ready to receive seed. If you mean to break up the fallow ground of your heart, you must begin by looking at your heart – examine carefully the state of your mind and see where you are. Many people never even seem to think about doing this. They pay no attention to their own hearts, and never know whether they are doing well in their walk with the Lord or not – whether they are bearing fruit or are totally barren. Now you must draw off your attention from all other things and look into Self-examination now!

Self-examination consists of looking at your life, considering your motives and actions

Sins of omission (things you didn’t do that you should have).

Unthankfulness.  where you have received great blessings and favors from God for which you have never given thanks.  Lack of Love for God. Think how grieved and alarmed you’d be, if you suddenly realized a great lack of affection for you in your wife, husband, or children – if you saw that someone else had captured their hearts, thoughts, and time.  Neglect of the Bible. God’s Word was not a pleasure to you. Unbelief.  Not believing God’s promises – in essence calling Him a liar Lack of Prayer. Neglect of Fellowship. When you have allowed yourself to make small and foolish excuses.  Lack of Watchfulness Over Your Witness. Neglect of Family Duties.  Neglect to Watch Over Your Brethren.  Neglect to Watch Over Your Brethren.

Sins of commission (Things you choose to do without regard to God’s word)

Love of Love of Things and Possessions.   Vanity.  Envy.  Bitterness.  Gossip.  Lying.  Cheating.  Robbing God. (time, money, heart, mind, soul)  Hypocrisy.  Anger.

Without searching our heart, mind, and soul with earnest desire to honor and glorify God, there will be weeds and thorns.  Our fallow heart must be made soft again to be planted afresh and reap fruit that honors and glorifies God.