II CHRONICLES

Today is Tuesday. I didn't sleep much last night, but I'm excited about another day to live for Christ. Hope you are too. Here are some thoughts that spoke to my heart today: 1) A FAIRLY GOOD KING- II Chron. 13- I never realized that Abijah the son of Rehoboam was a fairly good king. When the mass of Israel's army came against him with twice as many soldiers, Abijah tells Israel not to do it, because they have forsaken the LORD and Judah is still following the LORD. In verse 10 he says: "But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him.." in verse 12 he says: "fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper." Wow!! He said it straight!! Israel did not listen and came against Judah with the huge army of 800,000 men, but when Judah saw they were surrounded by the enemy, they cried out to God, and vs. 16- "God delivered them into their hand." That day, 500,000 men of Israel died in battle!! God gave the victory. God is still in the victory business!! Whatever trials you are facing today, God still has the answers. Don't despair. Don't fall apart, just kneel down and seek His face. God is still on his throne!! 2) WHO ARE YOU HANGING AROUND?? It does make all of the difference, as Jehosphat found out. Again I mention this as I did in II Kings, but it is so important. In II Chron. 18:1, he joined affinity with Ahab. "affinity" is much stronger than just friendship, it is a partnership. (it is yoking together). In chapter 19, Jehu, the seer, says: "Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD?" (vs. 2) and in chapter 20, when he joined with Ahaziah king of Israel in a joint venture to build ships, they all were destroyed in a storm. vs. 37 says: "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 has a way of correcting us when we make bad associations!! Don't do it! They may be a dear Christian friend, but once they start heading in another direction, don't join yourself to them, you too will get pull down! (That's Bible) 3) THE LORD'S PEOPLE- In II Chron. 23, Johoiada, a godly priest, makes a covenant with the people that they should be "the LORD's people" (vs. 16). That is what we are! We are the Lord's people! I liked the sound of that when I read it: "The Lord's people". That what I am, and that is what I hope those around me see! 4) PEOPLE FORGET- In II Chron. 24, God uses a priest named Jehoiada to train up a young king of seven years of age named Joash. Jehoiada raised the boy as a son and God blessed king Joash as a results of it. God made Joash to prosper all of the years he followed Jehoiada, the priest. Finally Jehoiada dies at 130 years of age. Then the king starts drifting away from the Lord's direction. God then sends Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest to say to the king: "Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper?" (vs. 20) So, the king "stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD." He kills the son of Jehoiada, the priest who raised him, meaning he killed the brother he grew up with!! In verse 22 it says: "Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son." Now, here is the sad truth..... People forget. God uses you to change their lives for the better.... and they forget. A while later you are hated and despised and yet... you haven't changed one bit. As a preacher, I see this happen so many times. I almost whence when someone tells me how much they look forward to our church in the years to come, because.... people change and people forget. They got saved, but now they don't appreciate it. Their marriage was salvaged, but now they forgot and are not grateful. The key to it all is this... Keep your eyes on Jesus.... He doesn't change... people do! 5) BE STRONG- II Chron 25: 8 says to be "strong for the battle" A prophet was telling this to Amaziah the king of Judah. He had hired Israel to fight with him, and God said through the prophet that you don't need Israel, for "God hath power to help, and to cast down." Now he had already paid them and the question comes up, "But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel?" Then God answers: "The LORD is able to give thee much more than this." What are your losses today?? The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.... just be strong for the battle today!! Well, I don't know if these passages spoke to you today, but I sure needed them. God's Word has a way of speaking to the need of every life. We should just read and let God minister to us. Have a blessed day dear friend! Pastor Mike Mutchler