November 10, 2009 2 Chronicles 33 Excruciating Consequences

Taken from Debi’s daily Bible study blog:   dkrhemas.wordpress.com

God will do whatever it takes to get our attention when we have gone astray.  Depending on the path we have chosen, it may be some very serious and excruciating consequences that we must face, just as in the case of King Manasseh. 

This king sacrificed his own son, and was involved with witchcraft, sorcery, soothsaying and spiritists.

Vs. 10-13 And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not listen. Therefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon.  Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom.  Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God. 

 

Is God trying to speak to you?  Do we refuse to listen? Let us not force the hand of God to have to take that next step in order to get our attention. These wakeup calls from Scripture are for our benefit.  God will do what He needs to do to bring us back to Himself.  Perhaps He is using this chapter as His way of speaking directly to us to show us that we are on the wrong path. Will we listen or will He have to take the next step in our lives as He did to Manasseh?  That was what woke up the king. Deep inside he knew the truth.  He has watched his godly father.  Perhaps there in prison and chains it all came back to him. 

 

In our affliction, let us do as this king did, and implore the Lord, humble ourselves greatly before Him and pray to Him.  God will hear and bring us back to Himself. 

           

 

           

November 9, 2009 2 Chronicles 32 Beware and Prepare

Taken from Debi’s daily Bible study blog:  dkrhemas.wordpress.com 

Great battles often come after mountain top experiences or deeds of faithfulness, as is recorded in this chapter. After the great reform (Vs. 1, “deeds of faithfulness”) the mighty imperialistic king of Assyria, Sennacherib encamps against the cities to begin a takeover. 

Hezekiah’s response to the challenge was an immediate plan of war:

He consulted with the leaders.

He stopped their supply or water.

He built and repaired the walls.

He gathered the people together to encourage them.

I love the words he spoke to them:

Vs. 7-8 Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid nor dismayed….for there are more with us than with him (he is referring to the host of Heaven).  With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.  And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah.

 

The enemy does not give up easily.  Sennacherib used tactics to discourage the people.

He lied to them and told them that the siege of Jerusalem had already begun, when in fact

it had not. ( In verse 18)  He called out with a loud voice in Hebrew….to frighten and

trouble them.

 

How does this battle end?  Vs. 20 Now because of this King Hezekiah and the prophet,  Isaiah prayed and cried out to heaven.  Then the Lord sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader and captain.  So he (Sennacherib) returned shamefaced to his own land….and some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword there. 

 

            We must be on guard for the attacks of Satan especially after a mountain top experience.  We must prepare for war as soon as he comes near our “gates”.  Too often we cower in fear in the face of our frightful battles and begin to slip into surrender to it.  We must be as Hezekiah and immediately begin the battle plan:  Surround ourselves with godly counselors; stop any activity that contributes to the strengthening of the enemy; build “high spiritual barriers”; encourage those in the battle with you; recognize, as the king did, that our enemy is outnumbered because we have the host of Heaven on our side.  After all that, beware, because, the enemy may not give up.  He may pursue with even greater fear tactics.  We must, just as Hezekiah and Isaiah did, pray and cry out to Heaven. 

 

            I love how this story ends.  God completely fought the battle for them. They did not have to go into battle at all.  Not one life was taken.   He destroyed their enemy.  God calls us to do our part, to prepare our hearts, and He will do His part.

 

November 8, 2009 2 Chronicles 31 Reformation

 

 

Hezekiah continues his efforts to lead his people to reformation. They indeed catch the vision:

Vs. 18  For in their faithfulness they sanctified themselves in holiness.

 

Hezekiah is a king on a mission, God’s mission. 

Vs. 20-21  Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and true before the Lord his God.  And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart.  So he prospered.

 

Have you started a reformation in your heart and home?  Are you on a mission?  Are we faithful to the degree that we are sanctified in holiness?  Can we say that we are serving Him with all our hearts?

 

1 Corinthians 1:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.

Colossians 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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November 7, 2009 2 Chronicles 30 Revival

I this chapter we get to read of the wonderful revival meeting that took place during the Passover. King Hezekiah had such passion for God and he wanted God’s people to enjoy the fellowship of the Father. He sent runners throughout all of Israel and Judah beseeching the people to keep the Passover and return to God. His message was:

Vs. 8-9 Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and enter His sanctuary…..for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him. The response was that many laughed at the message but others, “humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the Lord.” (Vs. 12)

We have to really admire this great king as we go on to read the rest of this revival account: Vs. 18-20, 22 Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord provide atonement for everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his father, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.” And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people….. And Hezekiah gave encouragement….. As a result the people began to make confession to the Lord and agreed to keep the Passover going another seven days (with gladness).

Vs. 22-23 This wonderful chapter ends with these words: their voice was heard; and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, to Heaven.

What is the cost of real revival and of truly reaching the throne of God? It seems to be spelled out very clearly in this chapter:

A personal passion for God and a burden for His people.

 Don’t follow in the footsteps of the stiff necked around us but yield to the Savior.

Listen to the message of the servants that He send us and humble ourselves.

 Have singleness of heart to obey His Word.

 Confess our sins and pray for the sins of our family and those of our nation.

Encourage those around us.

 As we follow this formula for revival we too can experience healing and the wonderful privilege of reaching the ears of God with our prayers. Oh what God can do with one man or one woman who is willing to pay the cost of revival!! How God is looking for and wanting the mighty “Hezekiah’s” in our time.

November 6, 2009 2 Chronicles 29 Finally!!!

 Taken from Debi’s daily Bible study blog:    dkrhemas.wordpress.com

 

How exciting!! In this chapter we learn about Hezekiah, the only king of Judah who was faithful just as David was.  Other kings were partially obedient, or started well but ended sadly. 

Vs. 2  And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father, David had done.

Hezekiah wasted no time.  In the first month of his reign, he “opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them.” (Vs. 3)  As he gathers the priests and Levites to do the work he reminds them of why their people had failed in the past:

Vs. 6, 8-9 For our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the Lord our God; and they have forsaken Him, have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the Lord, and turned their backs on Him. Therefore the wrath of the Lord fell upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He has given them to jeering, as you see with you eyes.  For indeed, because of this our fathers have fallen by the sword; and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity. 

 

He then spells out the plan:  Vs. 10-11  Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel that His fierce wrath may turn away from us. My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him….

 

Hezekiah, personally had played no part in the wickedness of his people but he took responsibility to do everything he could to bring about reform.

 

Can we not also be that “exciting one” who has chosen a life of full surrender to the Father and one who brings Him great delight?  We must choose the path of the very faithful who have walked before us.  Others may have left a trail of misery for us to face but we must now waste no time, but immediately begin the process of renewal in our hearts, homes, churches and nation.  How long will we watch as our nation and our families are in “captivity”?  Is it in your heart to covenant with the Lord to return to His Word, to His house, to obedience and surrender?  We must not be negligent.  Stand before Him; serve Him and minister to Him.

 

Are you willing to be the one?  What is He asking of you right now? 

 

Psalm 139: 23-24   Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

November 5, 2009 2 Chronicles 28 Distress

 Taken from Debi’s daily Bible study blog:   dkrhemas.wordpress.com

Vs. 22-23  Now in the time of his distress King Ahaz became increasingly unfaithful to the Lord…..For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus…… But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel. 

Distress in our lives should be a red flag for us to run to God.  It should be a springboard to catapult us to Him.  Too often we allow our distress to consume us.  The load becomes much too heavy for us on our own. I find myself retreating to these verses in Matthew because we face so many heavy burdens and if dealt with in our human capacity we can easily find ourselves in yet, deeper pits. 

 Matthew 11:28-30  Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

 Our distress, dwelt with in the wrong way can not only bring us to ruin but may, as in the case of Ahaz, bring those around us to ruin as well. 

 Psalm 27:5 For in the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.

Psalm 37:39  But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: He is their strength in the time of trouble.

I can still hear my mother saying this verse:  Psalm 56:3  What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

 What will we do with our distress?  Will it lead us to increasing unfaithfulness as it did to King Ahaz or will it push us to God?  Will we switch yokes? Or will we stay in our “fog” of worry, fear, agony and pain, giving in to the downward spiral that Satan knows can ruin us and perhaps those around us.

 I felt distress when I learned that I was losing my first child. Yet in that hospital bed, I remembered what I had been taught: to trust my Heavenly Father. I still remember vividly the grace that He poured out on me. My father prayed with me over the phone and he spoke these words. “Comfort Debi and Jim with the “balm of Gilead.”  Those words rang clearly for me and I did experience the balm that the Father provides.   I felt distress when our third born, James,  at three days old had a very dangerous level of jaundice and had to be left in the hospital.  As I was weeping, the chaplain came to his bedside, prayed with me and brought me great comfort.  I felt distress when that same child had a very deadly infection when he was about ten years old. It was devastatingly painful to watch his agony.  We reached out to the Father and the faithful prayers of the saints around us. We again experienced His presence and peace.  For you see, God is there for us in every situation.  Our distress can either ruin us or show and teach us about His mighty sufficiency, power, love and care. 

 I had to look in an older hymn book of mine to find the words of the song my father loved.  Enjoy the message here with me:

 There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole

There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul.

 

Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my work’s in vain,

But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again

 

If you cannot preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul,

You can tell the love of Jesus and say, “He died for all.”

November 4, 2009 2 Chronicles 27 Put God First

Taken from Debi’s daily Bible study blog:    dkrhemas.wordpress.com

Vs. 2 And he (King Jotham) did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah had done (although he did not enter the temple of the Lord). But still the people acted corruptly.

 His father had been a godly man except for the act of entering the temple which was to be the job of the priests only. Jotham must have learned much from his father. According to this verse, he was alone in his godly life. All those around him lived corruptly. We too must learn from the victories and failures of our parents. We can’t blame them for our mistakes. We can instead rejoice and repeat the godly heritage they have left us and clearly learn from their mistakes so that we don’t repeat them. Like Jotham, we may feel alone in our walk with God. We may be surrounded every day with those who are living corrupted lives. Let us allow that loneliness to push us to God even further as it constantly reminds us of how much we need His friendship, His fellowship, His power and His guidance.

The short description of his reign begins with him restoring the Upper Gate, the principal entrance of the Temple. He made that his priority and then he began to fortify the city. He had his priorities straight. Put the things of God first. Then we can reach out into the other ministries He has for us to do. Are we faithfully, and without fail, taking the time to sit at His feet every day? Are we learning and being trained from His Word and the fellowship with Him in prayer? So many use the excuse that there is not always time to do this. Your body will not suffer if you get up a half hour earlier. Your family, your schedule will not be damaged if you take that time to sit with Him. To the contrary, when we put Him first He will bless us abundantly; He will form us into the vessel that He intends for us to be. Make the sacrifice.

November 3, 2009 2 Chronicles 26 The Danger of Prosperity

Taken from Debi’s daily Bible study blog:   dkrhemas.workpress.com

This chapter is a great reminder and a wake up call to us.

 Vs. 5 As long as he (King Uzziah) sought the Lord, God make him to prosper. Vs. 8 His fame spread as far as the entrance of Egypt, for he became exceedingly strong.

Vs. 15,16,18,19 He was marvelously helped till he became strong. But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God by entering the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. Azariah, the priest, said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah to burn incense but for the priests.” Then Uzziah became furious….and while he was angry, leprosy broke out on his forehead. Vs. 21 King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord.

 As long as we seek Him, we too shall prosper. It is in that prosperity and strength that we are most often the most vulnerable. Our hearts can so easily become “lifted up.” Remember the story of King Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel. When he found himself at his highest success, he was full of pride and as a result was struck with seven years of unimaginable consequences until he finally turned his heart back to God. Has our success and pride brought us to a place to ruin? Turn back.

John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak then am I strong.

 The low times, the weak times in our lives push us to the Father and it keeps us strong. It is in the prosperity and high times that we must especially beware of the pride and self-sufficiency that can begin to creep in. Watch for the warning signs; listen to the voice of the “priests” that God puts in our path. We could, like this king, live the rest of our lives in “isolation” because we too, may go too far in our destructive path of pride. The Scripture is not just a book to read. It is our guidebook, it is our roadmap. It shows us very clearly the path we are to take. It reveals to us, through these clear examples, the pitfalls that we are to avoid. Will we heed?

November 2, 2009 2 Chronicles 25 Blessing or Judgment

Vs. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a loyal heart.

 We see this true in the life of King Amaziah of Judah, as he does take the advice of the prophet (Vs. 7-10) even at a great financial loss. Yet immediately following a victorious battle, he begins to worship false gods. Vs. 15 Therefore the anger of the Lord was aroused against Amaziah….

Too often we forget that not only is God loving but He is also just. Our actions can bring Him to anger. Vs. 20 …..for it came from God, that He might give them into the hand of their enemies because they sought the gods of Edom. Will the way we are living arouse God’s anger? Might He give us into the hands of our enemies? Once again we have yet another king who did right at times but not with a loyal heart. If he truly had a loyal heart, he would have followed God. Thus, his life ends tragically, just as his father’s did, by being assassinated (Vs. 27).

We may be proud of ourselves for doing “right” in certain areas of our lives but if we are not living with a “loyal heart” we too may find ourselves in the same path of these pitiful kings. Some of our “good” deeds, like that of Amaziah’s may even be great sacrifices of obedience. Yet, it means nothing to God if He does not have our complete loyalty. Our financial giving, our church attendance, our volunteer service, the ministries we are involved in and even our hours of study in His Word mean nothing when these deed are done out of a heart not completely loyal to Him. You see, God knows that this sad condition of the heart will eventually lead us to doom and destruction. It is full surrender that He is asking for.

 What is it that God is reminding you of right now? Is it the way you treat your spouse, the anger and yelling you display in dealing with your children, the mistreatment of your parents, the bitterness you feel towards someone in your life, that sin that you do when no one else is looking, or that deed you committed against someone and have not yet made it right? Are you willing to surrender all, to obey Him now matter what He asks of you in order to have that completely loyal heart? Is God placing His blessing or His judgment on our lives? Will we come to the end of ours having been immeasurably blessed of will it be filled with doom and destruction? The choice is ours.

Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.

November 1, 2009 2 Chronicles 24 The Warning

In all the service that King Joash performed for God, the real condition of his heart was revealed when his godly uncle and faithful advisor, Jehoiada, died. He immediately began to take advice from ungodly leaders in his land. In God’s grace and mercy, He sent prophets to warn the king of his folly but he would not listen. One final priest, Zechariah proclaimed: “Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you.” (Vs. 20)

Those years with Jehoiada and his godly leadership did not change the heart of the king. He must have just gone along with what his adviser suggested. Obviously, the king did not surround himself with godly people after that. He listened and heeded the foolish advice of the wicked and scorned the advice of those God sent. God had no choice but to turn His back on the king. His life was taken. His kingdom was over.

 Oh, there are so many lessons for us in this passage. Is our service to Him truly from the heart? Or are we just doing what is expected of us? Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. We must surround ourselves with the godly saints. We must turn a deaf ear to the advice of the world when it is contrary to His Word. God may try to clearly warn us. He loves us so much. Just as “He sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the Lord…,” God may also put saints in our path to warn us of the coming destruction of our lives if we do not turn back to Him. Do we have open ears? Are we listening to the right people? Do we have a willing and teachable spirit? Will we be so stubborn to the point that our ministry in life will completely be taken away and His “kingdom” for us on this earth would be finished? What could be worse than to be forsaken?