II Chronicles

II Chron. 18:1   WATCH YOUR AFFINITIES   1) Jehoshaphat was a godly man; Ahab was not. A godly joined in with an ungodly man and it resulted in disaster.  Affinity is stronger than friendship.   2) Jehu speaks- II Chron. 19:2 "Shouldest thous help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD?  Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD."  Verse one says he went home in peace to Jerusalem, but now he finds out that because of his association with Ahab, not only is Ahab dead, but he has incurred wrath from the LORD.  (Have we forgotten that God still deals with His children??)   3) In Chapter 20, we see that Jehoshaphat was being attacked by the Moabites, Ammonites, and others.  A great multitude in all.  Upon realizing this, he "set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah."  (vs. 3);  These he calls out to the LORD in verse 12 "O our God, wilt thou not judge them?  For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do:  but our eyes are upon thee."  When you don't know what to do, look to JESUS!! THEN, the answer comes in verse 15 "Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's." *God fights our battles as we look to Him!   4) Some lessons go unlearned.  In II Chron. 20:35-37, Jehoshaphat did "join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly:"  Now, they joined for a business venture… not to worship together…. So says verse 36: "he joined himself with him to make ships…."  But God was still very displeased:  (vs.37)  "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."   God destroyed the business because the godly had once again joined with the ungodly.  Now what is the less in these three chapters, 18-20.  WATCH YOUR AFFINITIES….  1 Corinthians 15:33  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Have a blessed day!  Pastor Mike Mutchler