II CHRONICLES

Today is Sunday!  I'm excited about our Fall Enlargement Campaign.  Sunday School is wonderful and we are working hard to see it grow.  Last Sunday we had 970 in Sunday School with our English Church, Spanish Church, and Korean Church.  I'm sure we went over 1,000 in the service, but Sunday School is the amount we look at and reach for.  Hope you make it for Sunday School today!

I'm reading in II Chronicles and here are a few thoughts:

1) RICH BUT NOT WISE- In II Chron. 18:1, we see:  "Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab."  He was rich, he had honor, he even was a godly king.... but he was not wise to join himself to the wicked king Ahab.  Money does not buy wisdom.  It can gain us information, but not discernment; more choices, but not the right choices; things, but not always good things;  friends, but not good friends.  These things cannot be bought with money.  Money is a tool to be used for God. Period!  Let us use it wisely as God grants us money, and certainly don't let us think we are wise because God blesses us with wealth.  In II Chronicles 19:2, we see that Jehoshaphat is rebuked by Jehu, the seer.  He says:  "Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD?"  The answer is no!

2) THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S- In II Chron. 20:15, we read:  "Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude:  for the battle is not your's but God's."  And in verse 17, we read:  "Ye shall not need to fight in this battle:  set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem:  fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them; for the LORD will be with you."  God fights our battles.  Notice that when the opposition seems overwhelming... it is still nothing to God.  Our faith must be firmly planted in Him and in His ability, not ours!  Realize in every area of life, that the LORD will fight our battles and take up for us.  Our job is simply to follow His directions to the best of our abilities. 

3) THE SECRET OF SUCCESS- II Chron. 26:5, says of Uzziah, "and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper."  Notice that he didn't prosper because of his actions or abilities, but the LORD "made him" to prosper.  The key is simply to seek the LORD.  It doesn't say he sought the LORD perfectly, and in fact, we know he didn't, but the seeking is what God responded to.  And, since God is no respecter of persons, He will prosper us too IF we seek after Him.  This is one of the little secrets of success found in the Bible.

4) CLEANSE THE HEART AND THEN THE HOUSE- In II Chron. 29:5, the Levites are told:  "Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers,..."  The idea is that they first sanctify themselves, and then the house of the LORD.  The inside first, and then the outside.  If we get this mixed up, we are pharisees.  If we do it right, we are sincere Christians.  Inside, then outside!

Well, so much for today!  I hope you have a wonderful day at Church!  May God bless you!  Pastor Mike Mutchler