II Chronicles & Ezra

Enjoyed my quiet time this morning reading and learning from God.  I work hard to listen to what God wants to say to me today from His Word.  I am not reading for information... but for transformation.  I need it.  I need it every day.  I am not all I want to be for God, but I want today to be more of what I ought to be for Him.  His Word is the avenue of taking my heart into His great Heart.  I want to get into His presence this morning, and then linger there all day long.  I want to commune with Him, and He with me!  Here are a few thoughts: 1) A PRIEST AND A LITTLE BOY- In the midst of a wicked nation, going through wicked times, there stands a man of God... a priest named Jehoiada.  In chapter 22, Jehoiada's wife hid a little boy (her brother), who was to be the king.  All of the other royal children had been killed by her grandmother, Athaliah.  But the Bible tells us in II Chron. 22:12 "And he was with them hid in the house of God six years:"  But, when the little boy, Joash, was seven years of age, he was revealed by Jehoiada to be the king of Judah, and Athaliah (who reigned) was taken out of the way.  Now, the kingdom was wicked and had been for the reign of two leaders of Judah.  The boys father had been a wicked man himself having married Jezebel's daughter and having been influenced by her.  What can one priest and one little boy do to salvage the kingdom for God?   Let us see:  2 Chronicles 24:1-2  "Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beersheba.  2  And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest."   Ok, this is his life... let us go on: 2 Chronicles 25:1-2  "Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.  2  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart."   Ok, he did right, but not with a perfect heart like his father started out.  But, let us keep looking:  2 Chronicles 26:3-4  "Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.  4  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did."  Doesn't stop here:  2 Chronicles 27:1-2  "Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.  2  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly."  Ok, now here it ends, BUT.... a priest and a little boy.... got Judah kings who did right for 137 years!!    Maybe... just maybe, little boys are worth pouring your life into.  Maybe your children and grand children are worth it.  Maybe the little children who come to church on buses are worth it.... maybe.  A priest and a little boy were! 2) SING OUT TO GOD!- In 2 Chronicles 29:27, we read:  "And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel."  And in Ezra, we read how Cyrus, King of Persia, decreed for Israel to go back to Jerusalem after 70 years of captivity and rebuild the house of the LORD to the God of Heaven.  Chapter two of Ezra is a lengthy chapter (70 verses) and names and numbers all who go back to rebuild the city and the temple.  There are 42,360 in all, and added to that is 7,337 servants and maids.  Out of this number... there were "two hundred singing men and singing women".  (vs. 65)  Ezra 3:11  "And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid."  You see how important singing is?  Psalms 100:2  "Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing."   Do you have a song today?  Sing something out to Jesus.... he loves it!  Hebrews 2:12  "Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee."  Sing out! Well, my time is well past gone and I only got to write about two of the many things God pointed out to me this morning.  I wish I could do more, but I have many other things to do for the LORD today and to help people too.  Have a blessed day in the LORD and go with God!   Pastor Mike Mutchler