judah – Page 6 – Praying Pint

3.d. And they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything.

2 Chronicles 31:1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the Asherim and broke down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his possession.

And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, division by division, each according to his service, the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to minister in the gates of the camp of the Lord and to give thanks and praise. The contribution of the king from his own possessions was for the burnt offerings: the burnt offerings of morning and evening, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the appointed feasts, as it is written in the Law of the Lord. And he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the Lord. As soon as the command was spread abroad, the people of Israel gave in abundance the firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field. And they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything. And the people of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the tithe of the dedicated things that had been dedicated to the Lord their God, and laid them in heaps. In the third month they began to pile up the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and his people Israel. And Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps. Azariah the chief priest, who was of the house of Zadok, answered him, “Since they began to bring the contributions into the house of the Lord, we have eaten and had enough and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed his people, so that we have this large amount left.”

Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. And they faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the dedicated things. The chief officer in charge of them was Conaniah the Levite, with Shimei his brother as second, while Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers assisting Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king and Azariah the chief officer of the house of God. And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the east gate, was over the freewill offerings to God, to apportion the contribution reserved for the Lord and the most holy offerings. Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah were faithfully assisting him in the cities of the priests, to distribute the portions to their brothers, old and young alike, by divisions, except those enrolled by genealogy, males from three years old and upward—all who entered the house of the Lord as the duty of each day required—for their service according to their offices, by their divisions. The enrollment of the priests was according to their fathers’ houses; that of the Levites from twenty years old and upward was according to their offices, by their divisions. They were enrolled with all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, the whole assembly, for they were faithful in keeping themselves holy. And for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in the fields of common land belonging to their cities, there were men in the several cities who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone among the Levites who was enrolled.

Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.

Leviticus 27:30 “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the LORD’s; it is holy to the LORD.

Numbers 18:8-21 Then the LORD spoke to Aaron, “Behold, I have given you charge of the contributions made to me, all the consecrated things of the people of Israel. I have given them to you as a portion and to your sons as a perpetual due.

Malachi 3:8-10 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

Giving to the Lord and willing to give to His work, purpose, and plans are our privilege. Giving our meager offering to the Creator of all there is seems a bit meaningless on the surface. What can we give that we weren’t given first by Him? David put it like this; “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon, and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” God does care for us. He protects us. He has plans and purposes for us. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

This same God has asked us to give back to Him of our first and best. He has given us the opportunity to choose to freely to obey to do this out of our reverence and humble service to Him. He does not take it from us saying “that is Mine give it back” rather He blesses us with so much more than we can imagine and it seems through these blessings a man’s true heart, mind, and soul are tested. We choose deep in our heart to follow and obey Jesus Christ. We choose deep in our heart and soul to honor and glorify Him in our thoughts and actions. We choose deep in our heart, soul, and mind to trust and rely on Him for what we have and need. We have a battle in our heart and mind for these choices. The battle between “it is mine and I am going to keep it and get more of it and trust in it” and “it has been given to me by God for His plans and purposes and I have purposed in my heart to hear Him speak and lead me in how to freely use it for His honor and glory. Set your heart to be a cheerful giver, thankful giver, frequent giver, and one who finds great satisfaction in generosity.

3.b. Who sets his heart to seek God?

2 Chronicles 30:1 So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. However, some men of Asher, of Manasseh, and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.

And many people came together in Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month, a very great assembly. They set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning incense they took away and threw into the brook Kidron. And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were ashamed, so that they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of the Lord. They took their accustomed posts according to the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests threw the blood that they received from the hand of the Levites. For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves. Therefore the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate it to the Lord. For a majority of the people, many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than as prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary’s rules of cleanness.” And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. And the people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with all their might to the Lord. And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the Lord. So they ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord, the God of their fathers.

Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the feast for another seven days. So they kept it for another seven days with gladness. For Hezekiah king of Judah gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings, and the princes gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And the priests consecrated themselves in great numbers. The whole assembly of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, and the whole assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of the land of Israel, and the sojourners who lived in Judah, rejoiced. So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy habitation in heaven.

Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

When the men Hezekiah sent out to invite people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover there were those who mocked and laughed at them and then there were others who humbled themselves and came. This is much like the invitation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is our responsibility to proclaim it and the responsibility of our hearers to humbly take hold of it or reject it. We never know what the condition of the person’s heart is we are talking to. We never know the working of God in their heart. We never know. However, we do know we are to proclaim the light of Jesus Christ to a dark and lost world. We are to reflect the light of Jesus Christ, to His honor and glory, to every person we come into contact with throughout every moment of every day. We know what we say and the actions of our life should be a testimony to the gospel and Jesus Christ. In this “living out our faith” others hear and see how we humbly serve, honor, glorify, worship, follow, trust and obey Jesus Christ. Our heart and mind are desiring to practice our faith and service to our Lord and Savior. His word is a lamp unto our feet and light to our soul.

Spend time in His word and proclaim the wondrous glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

3.a. That he may turn again to the remnant of you

2 Chronicles 30:1 Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the Passover in the second month— for they could not keep it at that time because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem— and the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly. So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it as often as prescribed. So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his princes, as the king had commanded, saying, “O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were faithless to the Lord God of their fathers, so that he made them a desolation, as you see. Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”

Zechariah 1:3-4    Therefore say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 11:7    For I solemnly warned your fathers when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, warning them persistently, even to this day, saying, Obey my voice.  Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart. Therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.”

Jeremiah 44:16    “As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you.

When you read God’s word do you look for warnings or just promises of blessings? They both go hand in hand. We are blessed when we commit to God with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. We are blessed when we commit to honor, serve, glorify, worship, praise, follow, trust and obey Jesus Christ. God’s word speaks warnings and blessings but requires us to read it and want to hear it speak into our heart and mind. We get to choose if we hear it and allow it to permeate our heart and mind.

Time and time again we read of a generation of people and nations that either no longer seek God or they commit anew to seek and serve Him with humble heart and mind. Hezekiah saw the evil actions of Ahaz and what power the King had in leading people toward or away from God. He chose to commit to lead the people back to true worship of and commitment to God.

We need to be mindful of how easy it is to be lead away from God when our commitment is lukewarm. When we are lukewarm we seem to have an outward appearance of commitment but our ears are closed and our hunger and thirst for His speaking into and leading our lives is only with our lips and not with our heart and mind.

God knows and as well we know if our heart is being filled with an appetite and hunger for Him. We do well to examine our heart and what is residing in it. Commitment to honoring and living for Jesus Christ requires us to place Him first and always be mindful of our sinful nature and wandering away from Him. Staying in His word with a desire to be blameless and holy for the single purpose of honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ will keep the door to our heart and mind open to hear Him speak and lead.

3. And all the people joined in the covenant.

2 Chronicles 29:1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. He brought in the priests and the Levites and assembled them in the square on the east and said to them, “Hear me, Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, and consecrate the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers, and carry out the filth from the Holy Place. For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done what was evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They have forsaken him and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord and turned their backs. They also shut the doors of the vestibule and put out the lamps and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Israel. Therefore the wrath of the Lord came on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has made them an object of horror, of astonishment, and of hissing, as you see with your own eyes. For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, in order that his fierce anger may turn away from us. My sons, do not now be negligent, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.”

Ezra 10:3     Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law.

Nehemiah 9:38    “Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing

Jeremiah 34:15   You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming liberty, each to his neighbor, and you made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name,

Jeremiah 50:5    They shall ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it, saying, ‘Come, let us join ourselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.’

2 Kings 23:3    And the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant.

2 Chronicles 6:8    But the LORD said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.

Fathers do not determine the walk of their children when they are grown. Fathers can do everything right and their child, when an adult, can take paths in their life that totally contrary to God and how they were raised. Likewise, the fatter can do absolutely everything wrong and their child, when an adult, can take paths totally in line with God and now how they were raised. Of course, the child can follow in their father’s footsteps as well for good or evil.

We see this over and over again throughout scripture. We wonder why or how this happens. We don’t have to look far to see it all around us and in our family or the family of friends. Individually we make an intentional choice to honor, serve, follow, glorify, trust and obey Jesus Christ or we make an intentional choice not too. We choose to seek God and His word or not. We choose to deny self or not. We choose to grow and mature in the gospel of Jesus Christ or not. We choose how much activity we allow into our life that may interfere with our walk with Jesus Christ. We choose how generous we will be. We choose if we will allow ourself to be wronged and if we will forgive, and if we will be united with our body of believers. We choose how we will spend our time. We choose what we allow ourselves to think about. We choose what we will say and how we will say it. We choose every moment of every day whom we will follow.

We read scripture today on those who chose and committed to desire, seek and follow after God. Be one who intentionally chooses to place God first and subject everything else to that commitment.

2.y. Because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God.

2 Chronicles 27:1 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord according to all that his father Uzziah had done, except he did not enter the temple of the Lord. But the people still followed corrupt practices. He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord and did much building on the wall of Ophel. Moreover, he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and forts and towers on the wooded hills. He fought with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed against them. And the Ammonites gave him that year 100 talents of silver, and 10,000 cors of wheat and 10,000 of barley. The Ammonites paid him the same amount in the second and the third years. So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God.

2 Chronicles 17:3-6    The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals,  but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel.  Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor.  His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD

2 Chronicles 12:12    And when he humbled himself the wrath of the LORD turned from him, so as not to make a complete destruction. Moreover, conditions were good in Judah.

Ezra 7:10    For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

Having God with us, guiding us, leading us, and helping us for good does not happen by chance or good luck. It does not happen because we earned it as if God is in debt to us and owes us something. He created us for His glory and honor and praise. In this creation, He gave us (mankind) a free will to honor and glorify Him. He allowed His creation to choose to do this, or not. Not only did He create us but He also revealed Himself to us through creation, angels, prophets, works of miracles, His written word, and His Son Jesus Christ. We have been given free will to choose to honor, glorify, follow, serve, trust, and obey Him. He has given us words to live by so that in our life this side of eternity we demonstrate our love for Him as creator and worthy of all honor and praise. He has given us precious promises too. He is steadfast in His love toward us. He blesses us and disciplines us with righteousness.

Mankind, we, were created for His honor and glory. We are created to bring honor and glory to Him alone. We are created to worship and praise Him above all else. He gave us His written word so that through it we might gain wisdom, understanding, knowledge of Him and His purpose and plans and continually grow in this so that our honor and glory of Him consume and directs our every thought, word, and action.

He is worthy of so much more than lukewarm lip service from us.

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.

2.t. Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.

2 Chronicles 24:1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. Jehoiada got for him two wives, and he had sons and daughters.

2 Chronicles 24:15 But Jehoiada grew old and full of days, and died. He was 130 years old at his death. And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house. Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.

Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’” But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!” At the end of the year the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, the Lord delivered into their hand a very great army, because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash. When they had departed from him, leaving him severely wounded, his servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed.

We can never underestimate the influence of those we allow ourselves to associate with. You would have thought Joash would have been firm in his walk with the Lord. He was led and counseled by the high priest Jehoiada from the time he was 7 yrs old and had become king. Joash did right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada. It is not as though Joash did not know what it meant to lead the people in full commitment to the Lord. He knew what was right yet still chose to listen to the princes of Judah and abandon the house of the Lord. They chose to worship idols and Joash followed along willingly. Even when Zechariah the son of Jehoiada, being led by the Spirit of God, called them out on their falling away, Joash chose to not listen and had Zechariah stoned.

Do you ever wonder how it is possible to have tasted the love, guidance, joy, peace, and blessings of God and people turn away from Him? So it is when we are living in prosperity and have been blessed by God with joy and peace. We so easily don’t see the need anymore for God in our lives, and if we do it is at arm’s length. It is almost as though we keep Him on speed dial in case we need His help but other than that there is no humble service, honor, reliance, or listening for His leading in our lives. We might not admit it but we intentionally choose to do this.

Think about a time when chaos, confusion, uncertainty, and trials hit you hard. Were you not calling out to God with all your heart, mind, and soul? Weren’t you relying on and trusting in Him? Weren’t you constantly seeking Him? Now compare this time of your life and the earnestness in which you sought and flowed after God to how you are in times of peace, prosperity, and blessings. Is there a difference? Do you seek to be in His presence with the same level of intensity? Do you seek to hear Him speak into your life? Do you hunger and thirst for Him in the same way? If not, then confess it and repent and turn away from this lukewarm commitment. Remember the price that was paid. Remember the love of Jesus Christ willingly given for the redemption of your sin. Remember this world is not our home, we are only passing through. Remember are a child of the King and ought to live to honor Him.

No one is immune to the attacks on our heart, mind, and soul from either self or Satan. We need to take inventory of our heart, mind, and soul. We need to take inventory of the time we spend in His Word, the time we spend in prayer, the time we spend in honoring, the time we spend in listening, and time we spend in thought and action. His word should be on our heart, in our mind, and flooding our soul. Our ears should desire to hear Him speak into our life. Our eyes should be seeking to see His handiwork.

In all things, at all times, in all words, and in all action our lives should serve, honor, worship, glorify, follow, obey, trust in and rely on Jesus Christ. Keep Him first. Choose to walk each moment of every day with Him for these purposes because He is worthy of all honor, glory, and praise.

2.r. I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things.

2 Chronicles 21:16 And the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the anger of the Philistines and of the Arabians who are near the Ethiopians. And they came up against Judah and invaded it and carried away all the possessions they found that belonged to the king’s house, and also his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest son.

And after all this the Lord struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease. In the course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honor, like the fires made for his fathers. He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one’s regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

1 Kings 11:11    Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.

1 Kings 11:14    And the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon,

1 Kings 11:23     God also raised up as an adversary to him,

Ezra 1:5    Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 10:5-6     Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury!  Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the street

Amos 3:6     Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the LORD has done it?

Isaiah 45:5-7     I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me,  that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.  I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things.

Do you ever wonder what God is not in control of? Is He in control of everything? We see “the Lord stirred up against Jehoram,” “I will tear the kingdom from you”, “the Lord raised up an adversary”, “everyone whose spirit God had stirred”, “the staff in their hands is My fury”, “Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?”, and “I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord who does all these things.”

God uses both the godly and ungodly too manifest is plans and purposes. He is the creator of all there is so it is well understood that He can control it. Do we live our lives like God is in control? Do we pray like God is in Control? Do we trust God like He is in control? People reject God’s calling in their life. They choose to ignore Him. However, even in their rejection and the problems and troubles, they cause on others God can and does use it for good. We may not see it but we can trust it is true. One example is with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Evil and lost people did this but it was ordained by God for the salvation of all who believe.

We know how David cried out to God and stating what appeared to be an oversight by God, in that, there were evil people who seemed to prosper, denounce God, treat others with harm, and God was seemingly blind to it. He wasn’t and isn’t blind to actions, but more than that, He knows the thoughts and intents of each person’s actions.

The problem we have is that we don’t have the wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of God. We chase after answers with our limited understanding and knowledge. We convince ourselves that we no best and if we were God we would do it differently. He is God, not us. His ways are not our ways.

So why is it that we say God is in control and then do not believe or trust Him when seemingly bad things happen? He does not change. He has been the same forever and there is no changing in Him.

I think the closer we are to Him the more we learn and grow in our trusting of Him. The closer we are we have fewer questions and we have more praise. The closer we are doesn’t mean we have fewer questions but it does mean we have one answer “God is in control” and in this, we can find a peace that passes all understanding.

You have to imagine the Israelites were full of questions and afraid when they were at the banks of the Red Sea with the Pharaoh and his warriors approaching. When we face the impossible, tragic, and terrible, trials in our life, know that there is a God who is in control and will work out all things for the good of them who are called by His name.

2.q. Because he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his fathers.

2 Chronicles 21:1 Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram his son reigned in his place. He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. Their father gave them great gifts of silver, gold, and valuable possessions, together with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn. When Jehoram had ascended the throne of his father and was established, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and also some of the princes of Israel. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.

In his days Edom revolted from the rule of Judah and set up a king of their own. Then Jehoram passed over with his commanders and all his chariots, and he rose by night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders. So Edom revolted from the rule of Judah to this day. At that time Libnah also revolted from his rule, because he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his fathers.

Moreover, he made high places in the hill country of Judah and led the inhabitants of Jerusalem into whoredom and made Judah go astray. And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father, Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah, but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel and have enticed Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem into whoredom, as the house of Ahab led Israel into whoredom, and also you have killed your brothers, of your father’s house, who were better than you, behold, the Lord will bring a great plague on your people, your children, your wives, and all your possessions, and you yourself will have a severe sickness with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the disease, day by day.’”

Another example and story of a father passing the reign to his son and the son not giving a thought at all to his father’s example. It does not tell us when Jehoram married Ahab’s daughter and if this was an arranged marriage by his father. Either way, Ahab was one very very bad person and led the people away from God and toward idol worship. His daughter more than likely had an influence on Jehoram but Jehoram made the choice to lead the people away from serving God. He chose a path that did not honor or glorify God. What kind of hardening of the heart must take place to abandon God and kill your brothers? What kind of false life did he live prior to his father passing away? A person just does not change overnight. He might have given head and mouth service to God but not his heart, mind, and soul.

Choices to depart from God begin innocent enough but soon cloud the mind with ideas that replace service to God with any and everything. The person who departs does not know the day and time but at some point in their life, they closed their ears and turned their back to God. The drifting away is blinded from their mind because they give no thought to or about Him. I wonder how many of us spend enough time in His word, meditate on His word, seek and desire His word, want to hear Him speak into our lives, and are able to discern what actions are honorable and pleasing in the sight of God.

If His word is not refreshing our heart, soul, and mind every day something else is. That something else will always set us on a drifting away course in life. We have been given examples of both Godly and ungodly men/leaders in the bible. We do well to follow the Godly examples given to us and take heed of those that are not. Practice the presence of God at all times.

Notice the people from Edom and Libnah. They revolted from under his rule because he had departed from following and serving God. These are people who took their walk with the Lord very serious and took action not to get swept up onto this path away from serving, honoring, following and obeying God. We do well to keep God first and place all thoughts and actions in line with His word to protect ourselves from being pulled along at the influence of the culture.

2.p. Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

2 Chronicles 20:35 After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. He joined him in building ships to go to Tarshish, and they built the ships in Ezion-geber. Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” And the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.

Proverbs 13:20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Proverbs 9:6 Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

Revelation 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

We are bound to make mistakes during our life. They seem to be right at our doorstep knocking and enticing us to open up that door. These door-knocking guests are either our sinful natured self or some other friend, colleague, or new acquaintance. We have the choice to make once we open the door.

Do we let them in? When it comes to self we are told to take every thought captive and recognize it for what it is against the word of God. We can only do this if our heart, mind, and soul seek and desire to intentionally humbly serve, honor, follow, obey, and trust God. We spend time in His word with a hunger to know Him more and more so that we can honor Him more and more in every part of our life.

When it comes to a friend, colleague, or new acquaintance knocking we also have a choice to make. We open the door and their intention is made known to us. This is where we compare what is being said with and against the word of God. This is where we need leading from and through the Holy Spirit to discern what we are thinking about doing or what is being asked of us. This is where we lean not unto our own understanding but seek Jesus Christ to make it know to our heart and mind. Many of Christians have gone down paths apart from God because they were blind, neglectful, or complacent with the word of God.

There is no substitute for time in God’s word. Time in His word feeds us, directs us, gives us hope, strength, peace, rest, love, and courage.

We were bought with a great price, the price of our sin, with the payment of whipping, beating, and nailing to a cross of God’s only beloved Son. We read where “for the joy set before Him he gladly went to the cross” This was the price that was paid for us while we were yet sinners. He did this to call to Himself those who would believe in sacrifice for our sin as full payment. Though we know this I wonder if somehow we have forgotten the great cost that was paid. Are we living as though we have been purchased? Are we living in constant remembrance of the cost? Are we living in such a way that honors and glorifies the one who paid the price? This is nothing to take lightly or half-heartedly. Christ deserves all honor and glory from His redeemed. Anything short of this does not reflect the price that was paid.

If we keep this in mind then we surely would spend more time in His word so that we grow in understanding and knowledge of Him and how to humbly live in service, honor, glory, to Him at all times.