Tag: ways of the Lord are right

2.g. “Therefore hear the word of the Lord

2 Chronicles 18:14  And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” And he answered, “Go up and triumph; they will be given into your hand.” But the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace.’” And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab the king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets. The Lord has declared disaster concerning you.”

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “Which way did the Spirit of the Lord go from me to speak to you?” And Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.” And the king of Israel said, “Seize Micaiah and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, and say, ‘Thus says the king, Put this fellow in prison and feed him with meager rations of bread and water until I return in peace.’” And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples!”

Numbers 16:29     If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the LORD has not sent me.

Amos 9:10     All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, who say, ‘Disaster shall not overtake or meet us.’

Jeremiah 23:36    But ‘the burden of the LORD’ you shall mention no more, for the burden is every man’s own word, and you pervert the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God.

Acts 20:30    and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things,

Hosea 14:9    Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

We see Ahab, King of Israel wanting to hear from God but only wanting to hear what he had determined already in his own heart and mind.  He surrounded himself and more than likely previously punished those who did not speak what he wanted to hear.  They were trained to speak in line with his wants and not what God would have him do.

When our heart, soul, and mind are not wholly for following and trusting in God there is an inner self that rules in His place.  This inner self will convince us we are following after God even though we are lukewarm, neglectful, and complacent. We can not serve both self and God.  We will serve the one we yield to.  We will serve the one that occupies our desires and wants.  We will serve the one we think will give us satisfaction and purpose.  Sad to say but many times this is self.

You have to imagine that at some point, at the beginning of our deception, where we began to listen to self over following God, we were aware of this and we chose to push this awareness away.  We were able to drown out the voice of God.  Our heart became hard, our ears deaf, and our choice to turn away was blinded from our mind.  Soon self became the only voice we listen to, the only thing we trusted in, and the only thing we found satisfaction in.

Remember the devil is a roaring lion seeking to deceive and draw us away from following God.  He will send many false hopes of satisfaction into our lives.  He will try to confuse us, entice us, and fill us with things of this world that will never satisfy but will always lead us away from seeking, trusting, relying on, following, honoring, glorifying, and obeying God.

The word of God is our stronghold, our hope, and our strength, for in it we find wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of God.  We see a glimpse of eternity and the love of God poured out to us through Jesus Christ.  Fill all your heart, mind and soul with the want and desire of and through Jesus Christ.  Stay in His word to find peace, joy, love, rest, strength, and hope for today and forever.  Do not allow self a second in your heart and mind for it will take this single second and turn it into a lifetime of deception.

2.d. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them

2 Chronicles 17:1  Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place and strengthened himself against Israel. He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim that Asa his father had captured. 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. And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.

In the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram. And they taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them. They went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, and they made no war against Jehoshaphat. Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute, and the Arabians also brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats. And Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built in Judah fortresses and store cities, and he had large supplies in the cities of Judah.

Psalms 18:21-22   For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.  For all his rules were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me.

Hosea 14:9    Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them

Psalms 119:1   Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!

Asa’s son Jehoshaphat reigned after him. He sought God and walked in His commandments. He was courageous in the ways of the Lord.  One of the greatest verses in this chapter, to me, is “he sent his officials to teach in the cities, having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them”  “They went through all the cities and taught among the people.”

Jehoshaphat, it seems, knew the need to know God’s word and to have it as your purpose and guide for your life.  Can you imagine what it would be like to live in cities away from the temple, away from the presence of God, and away from leaders in worship and sacrifice?  There would be no daily reminder of His word other than what you put to memory.  Can you imagine what it would be like to not have God word at your fingertips?

Jehoshaphat sent his officials, Levites, and Priests to teach in the cities.  He did not want the people to fall away from following after God.  He took the word of God to them.  He set an example of the importance of God’s word to his officials and to the people in all the cities he governed.

Setting an example of the importance of God’s word is more than going to church on Sunday.  It is more than reading a daily devotional.  It is more than having a head knowledge of His word.  God’s word must permeate the heart and mind to take root in our purpose for life.  God’s word is able to divide thoughts and intents in the heart of man.  It can soften or harden a heart depending on the heart of the person receiving it.

To intentionally choose, desire, and seek after God’s word must be for the reasons of wanting to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow, trust, and obey God with all your heart, mind, and soul.  If we look at God’s word like it is a medicine cabinet and only there for when we have a need, we will soon see His as nothing more than a bandaid for trouble.  God’s word is so much more.  It gives peace and rest to the weary soul in confusion.  It gives courage to the mind of the alone and afraid.  It gives hope and faith to the lost.  It refreshes the hear, mind, and soul to those who hunger and thirst for it.

Jehoshaphat knew the heart and mind were easily attracted toward what can be seen and took steps to remove the high places and Asherim out of Judah. He took out these false places of hope and replaced them with the word of God.  We would do well to take inventory of what is in our heart and mind and where we place our hope and trust.