Category Archives: Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Fasting, Persecution / Glorifying God, Prayer, Share the Good News, Teachable, Unteachable / Foolish

How Can I Proclaim Christ When People Come Against Me?

The more consistently and more widely I share the good news of Yeshua as Messiah and the truth of scripture revealed in the Bible, the more I see a consistent set of responses from those who hear it.

  • Some will indeed hear the message and either be encouraged or be led to a saving relationship with Yeshua. Each person who finds this path is cause for celebration!
  • Some engage in genuine discussion of facts, evidence, and application of scripture. We can have a civil discussion regarding the facts and evidence of the gospel.
  • Sadly, there are also many who react with anger and hostility. They are not interested in listening but have already made up their minds. When you demonstrate the error of their logic, they do not admit that they are wrong and choose instead attack the messengers personally.

Paul encountered this same range of responses from people when he proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ thousands of years ago. There is no new “modern” response to the message of Yeshua. We can learn much from studying the Bible and all that God reveals in it regarding how those who went before us handled these situations.

Acts 14:19-23

     19But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. 20But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe. 21After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” 23When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Some Jews actually came perhaps 130 miles to hinder the work of Paul. It was not enough just that they rejected Messiah. They felt they had to stop the message of Christ so no one else would accept the message either. They did not win on facts and evidence. Miracles were happening where Paul went with the message of Christ. Those who opposed Yeshua went to the most brutal response they could get away with… in this case stoning Paul in an attempt to kill him.

What was Paul’s response to such hatred and persecution? Did he stop proclaiming Yeshua? No! He got up, moved on and gave glory to God by accepting and teaching that those who proclaim the good news will face much tribulation. He continued to do the work of Christ, appointing elders for every church and commending them to the Lord with prayer and fasting. We should take note that he did move on to another location. We are not always to remain in the face of that force of adversary. This is something for which we must each seek the LORD on when to stay and when to leave this level of resistance.

What a remarkable servant of Christ! I can only hope to follow in the example of Paul in whatever opportunity I have to overcome opposition to the sharing of the gospel. Paul demonstrating true faith in Christ. He was willing to die to share the gospel. He stopped at nothing, regardless of the level of resistance he faced.

What resistance are you facing in your life that discourages you from sharing the gospel? What can you learn from Paul’s response to persecution that you can apply in your life? Do not overlook the value of prayer and fasting with other disciples of Yeshua.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help unite those who are pursuing You. Help people who hear Your message be willing to accept the need for change in their life. Help prepare the field for harvest by making the people ready to hear the good news. Help even those who already proclaim to follow You to be open to changing their ways to be more like Your ways. Help raise up messengers who will be bold in proclaiming truth. Bless and protect the messengers so that they overcome the resistance that will come against them. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Courage / Fear, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Obeying God, Persecution / Glorifying God, Share the Good News

Count It Blessing to Be Persecuted for Yeshua?

Observe the world around us. Take note of how people respond to the message of Yeshua when true believers share it boldly and without apology. Many believe and are saved, coming to true relationship with our Messiah. Many others, however, become embittered and stir up trouble to persecute those who follow Yeshua.

Acts 14:1-8

Acceptance and Opposition

      1In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. 2But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. 3Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. 4But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, 6they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; 7and there they continued to preach the gospel.

Why is it that so many that reject Yeshua become bitter toward those who submit to Him? They do not want to change their lives to submit to Christ. They desire to remain doing things their own way. They feel the need to stop those who disagree with them. Truthfully, it is also often a spiritual battle raging between Satan and the people of God. (Read more on spiritual warfare.)

John 3:19-21

19“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20“For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21“But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

There is no good reason to hate followers of Yeshua. Those that truly follow Christ actually are respectful and considerate to all… showing love to all. But the part that many cannot take is that we, as followers of Christ, are also to rebuke and correct wrong behavior as wrong. We are not to accept it and condone it or make excuses for it. Following Christ and loving others drives us to point out the destructive behaviors to try to help not only ourselves but others as well. Knowing that non-believers are going to Hell for eternity drives us to want to save them from that fate… and only faith in Jesus Christ can do that. There is no other way. So we proclaim Jesus boldly.

John 14:6

 6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

People often do not want to accept correction. Only the wise accept rebuke and grow wiser. Fools reject it and remain in their folly… and get angry with the one who tries to help them. As Christians we can become more effective sharing the gospel by paying attention to those we want to reach. Those willing and open to receive the message may be ready to accept Jesus. Sometimes they must first be spiritually broken and realize they are missing something… then we can tell them it is Jesus they are missing. Those who are scoffers and mockers, still unwilling to admit they are not sufficient by themselves, are not ready to receive Christ and will just hate you for it.

Proverbs 9:8-9

  8Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,
Reprove a wise man and he will love you.

  9Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser,
Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

However, we are commanded by Yeshua and driven by genuine love for others to boldly proclaim the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to those that do not know it. We must not allow ourselves to be discouraged that some will come against us when we share the gospel, but rather remember that others will be saved!  Be encouraged by the words of our Lord Jesus and count it blessing when you are persecuted for standing with Christ.

Matthew 5:10-12

 10“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Continue to share the truth of the good news of Jesus boldly. Look for those who are willing to hear and listen, but do not be discouraged that others will come against you. Always live in the example of Christ so that we can be a light to others, even when they do not want to see.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, help Your people to stand boldly and proclaim the truth about You and the truth about the one way we are to come into proper relationship with You, through Messiah and forgiveness of our sins based on His death and resurrection. Please help Your people stand up to those who would come against them personally or collectively. Please raise up righteous leaders to unite us in following You the right way. Bring about a global restoration and return to Your ways among Your people. Help us fellowship in unity with those who truly follow You and Your ways. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Evidence in Scripture, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Mockers, Promises, Prophecy, Salvation, Share the Good News, Through Prophets

Adjust Your Starting Point to Meet Your Audience, but Do Not Adjust the Message

Paul was a master of identifying with his audience and meeting them where they are in order to lead them to Yeshua as Messiah. In Acts 13, he is proclaiming the gospel to Jews studying the scriptures and worshipping Yahweh on Sabbath. As such, Paul begins in a place they already know. Paul begins in the Torah and shows them how Torah and prophecy were pointing forward to Yeshua as the coming Messiah. This is the foundation of our faith. After establishing the foundation, Paul continues to discuss forgiveness and reconciliation through Yeshua as Messiah. The people want to hear more. That is a success anytime we share the gospel. We should take care to remember that Yeshua was not establishing something new. He was the promised Messiah and all that He taught and lived was based on the foundation of Torah and the prophets. He was also not shy about calling out the wrongful persecution and rejection of Messiah resulting in His death on the cross.

Acts 13:13-43

   13Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, “Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” 16Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said,
“Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: 17“The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it. 18“For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. 19“When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took about four hundred and fifty years. 20“After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21“Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22“After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY HEART, who will do all My will.’ 23“From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, 24after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25“And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

      26“Brethren, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent. 27“For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. 28“And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed. 29“When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. 30“But God raised Him from the dead; 31and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people. 32“And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, 33that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘YOU ARE MY SON; TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.’ 34“As for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY and SURE blessings OF DAVID.’ 35“Therefore He also says in another Psalm, ‘YOU WILL NOT ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.’ 36“For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay; 37but He whom God raised did not undergo decay. 38“Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. 40“Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you:

      41‘BEHOLD, YOU SCOFFERS, AND MARVEL, AND PERISH;
FOR I AM ACCOMPLISHING A WORK IN YOUR DAYS,
A WORK WHICH YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE, THOUGH SOMEONE SHOULD DESCRIBE IT TO YOU.’”

      42As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. 43Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God.

In a separate example, when proclaiming Jesus to pagans, Paul begins differently to connect with them.

Acts 17:22-34

Sermon on Mars Hill

      22So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. 23“For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24“The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ 29“Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. 30“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

      32Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.” 33So Paul went out of their midst. 34But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

We should also take a lesson from Paul in that we try to understand where people are in their knowledge and acceptance of Yeshua and let that influence where we begin to tell them about Messiah. If they are devout Jews who understand the Torah and the prophets, then we begin there. If they are lost and hurting in the depths of addiction or selfishness and sin… then begin there. However, let us be sure to remember that wherever we start, we need to come back to Torah and the prophets and the law, upon which the teachings of Yeshua are based. Yeshua was judged righteous in living according to the Law perfectly. That is the standard and guide post we should not ignore as if it is obsolete.

Consider another example in Acts 15. They meet the Gentiles where they are, but they count on the fact that they will also be taught Torah, or the law of Moses, over time as they continue to learn more about Judaism.

Acts 15:18-21

18SAYS THE LORD, WHO [k]MAKES THESE THINGS known from long ago. 19Therefore, it is my judgment that we do not cause trouble for those from the Gentiles who are turning to God, 20but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols, from acts of sexual immorality, from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21For from ancient generations Moses has those who preach him in every city, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

. Our proclamation of the good news of Yeshua will be much more effective if we pay close attention to where our audience is rather than just starting from our understanding of the scriptures and God’s plans. That said, we must not alter the truth of present an incomplete message of what Yahweh desires. We must come back and teach over time the fullness of the Torah and the prophets and the Law, all of which served as the foundation upon which Yeshua lived and taught.

There is an important point to highlight before we wrap up about the Law that Paul speaks of in Acts 13.

38“Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.

We are freed through Yeshua from some things which the Law of Moses could not free us from. Note, that Paul does not say “we are free from the Law”. Rather he specifically indicates that Yeshua provides forgiveness of sin that could not be achieved through the Law alone. For those sacrifices related to sin and forgiveness in the Law, they pointed forward as foreshadowing to the death of Messiah. It is through Yeshua that we are forgiven of sins and set free from that guilt.

How can you apply this truth in your life? What are some examples of where or with whom you may share the gospel (e.g. work, school, prison ministry, etc.)? How should you adapt your approach in each case?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Your holy scriptures. Please help Your people to return to Your ways. Let all who worship You through Yeshua open their eyes to live and worship You fully the way that He did in accordance with the Torah and the prophets. Let us not be confused, living in man-made traditions that make up so much of modern-day Christianity. Open our eyes to the wonderful ways of Your Law! Help us to have wisdom in connecting with and reaching different audiences and leading them to You without compromising Your word. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Hope, Repenting from Sin, Share the Good News, Submitted / Servant, Teachable, Unteachable / Foolish, Wise

The Message of the Cross Is Foolishness to Some

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God!

The Wisdom of God

18For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written:

“I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE WHO HAVE UNDERSTANDING, I WILL CONFOUND.”

20Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than mankind, and the weakness of God is stronger than mankind.

26For consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28and the insignificant things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29so that no human may boast before God. 30But it is due to Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31so that, just as it is written: “LET THE ONE WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”

We are called to share the good news of the gospel with others, but we cannot accept it on someone else’s behalf.  Do not be hesitant to share the gospel out of fear of personal rejection but recognize that many will not receive the message and may consider it foolishness. Some, however, will receive it and generate a rich harvest for Yeshua through their faith.

Many rejected Yeshua himself, so we should not expect they will all accept us as His messengers.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for bringing me to know You through Yeshua. Thank You that You have chosen me to hear Your message. Help me to boldly share with others. Help them to receive Your message to the glory of Your kingdom. Amen. 

Consider reading The Message of the Cross – Salvation for more information.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Humility, Idols / False Gods, Justice / Judgment, Merciful, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Teachable, Wickedness / Evil

Sometimes We Find Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness Through Discipline

We previously read in 2 Chronicles 33:1-9 about the wickedness of King Manasseh of Judah, who came after Hezekiah. As we continue to read in verses 10-20, we see his idolatry is rebuked and quite severely. We should pay close attention to the relationship and interaction between Manasseh and Yahweh. This is a story of grace, mercy, and forgiveness; but it is experienced through humility and repentance, and it all begins with discipline.

These principles apply to our lives today!

2 Chronicles 33:10-20

Manasseh’s Idolatry Rebuked

      10The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. 11Therefore the LORD brought the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria against them, and they captured Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon. 12When he was in distress, he entreated the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13When he prayed to Him, He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.

      14Now after this he built the outer wall of the city of David on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance of the Fish Gate; and he encircled the Ophel with it and made it very high. Then he put army commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah. 15He also removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, as well as all the altars which he had built on the mountain of the house of the LORD and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside the city. 16He set up the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it; and he ordered Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. 17Nevertheless the people still sacrificed in the high places, although only to the LORD their God.

      18Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh even his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are among the records of the kings of Israel. 19His prayer also and how God was entreated by him, and all his sin, his unfaithfulness, and the sites on which he built high places and erected the Asherim and the carved images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the records of the Hozai. 20So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. And Amon his son became king in his place.

The LORD rebuked Manasseh and the people of Judah. He spoke to them first, but they ignored Him. These are Yah’s people, His children. He brought about a harsher punishment and rebuke to get their attention. This is out of love and not hate. He loves His children enough to try to correct them and bring them back to Him. I do the same with my children. I rebuke and bring consequences on my own, whom I love. I do not go punish and rebuke the children who are not my own.

Another mistake often made by Yah’s people is to assume that difficulty comes from Satan and may indicate they are really on the right track for Yah and Satan is trying to discourage them. This can be true, but so too is it true that Yah will discipline us for going in the wrong direction. Our perspective on this affects how we react. We must be keenly aware of both perspectives.

Hebrews 12:4-13

A Father’s Discipline

4You have not yet resisted [c]to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

“MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,

NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE PUNISHED BY HIM;

6FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,

AND HE PUNISHES EVERY SON WHOM HE ACCEPTS.” 7It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Furthermore, we had [d]earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of [e]spirits, and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

12Therefore, [f]strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

Manasseh hit rock bottom, because of the discipline of the LORD. That is when he turned genuinely back to Yah and sought forgiveness and repentance. Manasseh’s relationship with Yah was developed to a new level and Yah restored Manasseh as king of Judah. Manasseh was a changed man. He was focused on Yah and His ways. What a beautiful example of Yah’s grace, forgiveness, and mercy, but all brought about through repentance by discipline.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Your holy word that leads and guides us! Thank You for the historical examples You have provided us like Hezekiah and Manasseh that can help us gain perspective on our own lives. Thank You for grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Thank You even for discipline that You bring on us to correct and rebuke us and restore our relationship with You! Amen. 

There is one other gem hidden in this passage we should not overlook.

Nevertheless the people still sacrificed in the high places, although only to the LORD their God. (2 Chronicles 33:17)

Despite Manasseh’s reforms and efforts, the people still sacrificed in a way that was originated from pagan worship practices rather than Yah’s ways. Though they no longer worshipped false gods in these practices, it is still listed as a disappointment that is not pleasing to Yah. They worshipped Yah according to the ways the pagans worship their gods and Yah does not like this. Yah wants us to worship Him the way He tells us. This is a common trap Christians fall in today with Christmas and Easter and other common cultural holidays. Most of these have pagan origins and may have had Christian stories or principles layered on top of the pagan origins. Celebrating Christ in Christmas is quite similar to the people of Judah worshipping Yah on the high places. He does not like it. This is mixing and blending truth with error in our worship, even if we worship Yahweh or honor Yeshua in this manner. To learn more, you can search Christmas on our home page or review our category of articles on holidays / traditions by scrolling down through the articles.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Fortune Telling, Idols / False Gods, Sorcery, Wickedness / Evil

You Don’t Inherit a Right Relationship to Yahweh

The records in 2 Chronicles 29-32 walk us through the summary of the reign of Hezekiah over Judah. He was righteous and did what was good in the sight of the LORD. The fact that his son who took the throne after him was almost a complete opposite is a dramatic reminder for all of us that no one inherits a relationship with God from their parents. Each of us must establish this personally, recognizing of course that our parents can play an important role to help us get on the right path.

2 Chronicles 33:1-9

Manasseh Succeeds Hezekiah in Judah

      1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2He did evil in the sight of the LORD according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD dispossessed before the sons of Israel. 3For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he also erected altars for the Baals and made Asherim, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4He built altars in the house of the LORD of which the LORD had said, “My name shall be in Jerusalem forever.” 5For he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6He made his sons pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. 7Then he put the carved image of the idol which he had made in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; 8and I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them according to all the law, the statutes and the ordinances given through Moses.” 9Thus Manasseh misled Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the sons of Israel.

Today’s scripture stands as a dramatic reminder of just how quickly a nation or family can turn from righteousness to wickedness in a single generation. It also gives a fairly specific list of some behaviors that are offensive to Yahweh, including idolatry, worship of false gods, witchcraft, divination, sorcery, dealing with mediums and spiritists. What is worse is that Manasseh led the people of Judah down this wrong path with him. I suppose that can also serve as a reminder that if we are to put Yahweh first, we cannot simply follow wherever our leaders go without questioning and challenging. We must focus on Yah and his ways first and when we can also hold our leaders accountable to do the same. A government or spiritual leader that is not submitted to Yahweh can lead many to peril.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead and guide Your people to stand firm in pursuing Your ways. Help us not be misled by leaders in government or religion. Help us to stand strong on Your word even in the face of opposition. Please raise up leaders that will be like Hezekiah in our nation today, that would lead people back to You! On a personal level, please help us to not be complacent, relying on a relationship with You that our parents or grandparents may have. Help draw us to You personally.  Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Curse, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Humility, Idols / False Gods, Repenting from Sin, Teachable, Unteachable / Foolish, Wise

Do Not “Double Down” on Foolish

Ahaz became king of Judah at an early age of 20. He turned from the LORD and did not do right. As a result, we see record of a very dramatic series of defeats and problems that the LORD brings about as punishment for the people turning from His instructions.

Perhaps one of the true tests for each of us is not whether or not we make mistakes and get started down the wrong path, but what do we do when the LORD brings judgment? Do we repent and turn to Him or do we double down on the wrong answer and move further away from Yahweh? We can read about Ahaz’s choice and learn from it.

2 Chronicles 28

Ahaz Succeeds Jotham in Judah

      1Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do right in the sight of the LORD as David his father had done. 2But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also made molten images for the Baals. 3Moreover, he burned incense in the valley of Ben-hinnom and burned his sons in fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had driven out before the sons of Israel. 4He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills and under every green tree.

Judah Is Invaded

      5Wherefore, the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Aram; and they defeated him and carried away from him a great number of captives and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who inflicted him with heavy casualties. 6For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah 120,000 in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. 7And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son and Azrikam the ruler of the house and Elkanah the second to the king.

      8The sons of Israel carried away captive of their brethren 200,000 women, sons and daughters; and they took also a great deal of spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out to meet the army which came to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has even reached heaven. 10“Now you are proposing to subjugate for yourselves the people of Judah and Jerusalem for male and female slaves. Surely, do you not have transgressions of your own against the LORD your God? 11“Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives whom you captured from your brothers, for the burning anger of the LORD is against you.” 12Then some of the heads of the sons of Ephraim—Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai—arose against those who were coming from the battle, 13and said to them, “You must not bring the captives in here, for you are proposing to bring upon us guilt against the LORD adding to our sins and our guilt; for our guilt is great so that His burning anger is against Israel.” 14So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the officers and all the assembly. 15Then the men who were designated by name arose, took the captives, and they clothed all their naked ones from the spoil; and they gave them clothes and sandals, fed them and gave them drink, anointed them with oil, led all their feeble ones on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers; then they returned to Samaria.

Compromise with Assyria

      16At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria for help. 17For again the Edomites had come and attacked Judah and carried away captives. 18The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the Negev of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, and they settled there. 19For the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful to the LORD. 20So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. 21Although Ahaz took a portion out of the house of the LORD and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.

      22Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz became yet more unfaithful to the LORD. 23For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they became the downfall of him and all Israel. 24Moreover, when Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, he cut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he closed the doors of the house of the LORD and made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. 25In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers, to anger. 26Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27So Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel; and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

It was bad that Ahaz turned away from the LORD. It was worse that when the LORD brought judgment, Ahaz doubled down on pursuing false gods instead of Yahweh. He made a classic mistake that many of us may still make. We overlook the fact that Yahweh is disciplining us when things go wrong. Instead, Ahaz assumed the gods of the other nations were real and were stronger.

For us today it may seem a bit different, but the principles remain the same. If we are experiencing defeat beyond what seems logical or reasonable, and we conclude it is spiritual, do not overlook the possibility that it could be our Father disciplining us. Of course, at times it may also be Satan, but in those cases our Father is still allowing it. Consider the book of Job as an example.

At these times, repent and draw nearer to Yahweh. Do not double down on foolish and keep moving away from Him.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to know when You are disciplining me. Help me to hear Your message and understand. Help me to turn back to You with whole heart as David did. Help Your people around this nation and the world in this manner. Show me the error of my ways and give me the humility to change. Help me find the right path. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Courage / Fear, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Persecution / Glorifying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Submitted / Servant, Unteachable / Foolish

The Courage and Faith of Stephen

All too often Christians think of the earthly ministry of Yeshua as the start of the history of their faith.  At the risk of startling some, I must emphasize that this is most certainly not the case.  Clearly understanding the history of God’s people and His relationship with them is important for understanding and applying God’s word even today and in the future.  Stephen understood clearly and demonstrated his knowledge in addressing the religious leaders of the day in Acts 7 in regards to accusations that he was a heretic for proclaiming Yeshua.  It is just as important today for us to study and understand the full history of God’s people including the whole of the Old Testament as foundational for Biblical interpretation and Christianity itself.

Stephen points out that many of the religious leaders and God’s people have consistently rejected those whom God chooses to lead throughout time… even those that later generations would praise and hold up as “patriarchs” and leaders of faith. Stephen highlights Joseph, Moses, and of course Yeshua is the most recent example Stephen points to as he confronts those who reject Him. It is quite ironic that Stephen was being accused for teaching against the ways of Moses and God, and in his defense, he defended both Moses and God (in the person of Yeshua) and it only angered his accusers even more. Those who accused him were not able to see the truth, as many who have come before and after them.

Surely Stephen understood that a direct confrontation with the religious leaders would result in his likely execution and it did. Stephen stood courageously on the truth and laid out his life as an offering and sacrifice to God.

Demonstrating an attitude of love and forgiveness in the model of Yeshua, Stephen even prays for God to forgive them as the stone him. What a powerful witness that must have been to those watching. We cannot fully know who that influenced and how, but we know that God was pleased and now Stephen is spending eternity with our Creator.

Acts 7

Stephen’s Defense

      1The high priest said, “Are these things so?”

      2And he said, “Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3and said to him, ‘LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY AND YOUR RELATIVES, AND COME INTO THE LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU.’ 4“Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living. 5“But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, even when he had no child, He promised that HE WOULD GIVE IT TO HIM AS A POSSESSION, AND TO HIS DESCENDANTS AFTER HIM. 6“But God spoke to this effect, that his DESCENDANTS WOULD BE ALIENS IN A FOREIGN LAND, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ENSLAVED AND MISTREATED FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS. 7“ ‘AND WHATEVER NATION TO WHICH THEY WILL BE IN BONDAGE I MYSELF WILL JUDGE,’ said God, ‘AND AFTER THAT THEY WILL COME OUT AND SERVE ME IN THIS PLACE.’ 8“And He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

      9“The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him, 10and rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household.

      11“Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food. 12“But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time. 13“On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family was disclosed to Pharaoh. 14“Then Joseph sent word and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five persons in all. 15“And Jacob went down to Egypt and there he and our fathers died. 16“From there they were removed to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

      17“But as the time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, 18until THERE AROSE ANOTHER KING OVER EGYPT WHO KNEW NOTHING ABOUT JOSEPH. 19“It was he who took shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would expose their infants and they would not survive. 20“It was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father’s home. 21“And after he had been set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and nurtured him as her own son. 22“Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds. 23“But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. 24“And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. 25“And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand. 26“On the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?’ 27“But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND JUDGE OVER US? 28‘YOU DO NOT MEAN TO KILL ME AS YOU KILLED THE EGYPTIAN YESTERDAY, DO YOU?’ 29“At this remark, MOSES FLED AND BECAME AN ALIEN IN THE LAND OF MIDIAN, where he became the father of two sons.

      30“After forty years had passed, AN ANGEL APPEARED TO HIM IN THE WILDERNESS OF MOUNT Sinai, IN THE FLAME OF A BURNING THORN BUSH. 31“When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord: 32‘I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC AND JACOB.’ Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look. 33“BUT THE LORD SAID TO HIM, ‘TAKE OFF THE SANDALS FROM YOUR FEET, FOR THE PLACE ON WHICH YOU ARE STANDING IS HOLY GROUND. 34‘I HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN THE OPPRESSION OF MY PEOPLE IN EGYPT AND HAVE HEARD THEIR GROANS, AND I HAVE COME DOWN TO RESCUE THEM; COME NOW, AND I WILL SEND YOU TO EGYPT.’

      35“This Moses whom they disowned, saying, ‘WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND A JUDGE?’ is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. 36“This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37“This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN.’ 38“This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you. 39“Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, 40SAYING TO AARON, ‘MAKE FOR US GODS WHO WILL GO BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES WHO LED US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT—WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.’ 41“At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42“But God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘IT WAS NOT TO ME THAT YOU OFFERED VICTIMS AND SACRIFICES FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS, WAS IT, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL? 43‘YOU ALSO TOOK ALONG THE TABERNACLE OF MOLOCH AND THE STAR OF THE GOD ROMPHA, THE IMAGES WHICH YOU MADE TO WORSHIP. I ALSO WILL REMOVE YOU BEYOND BABYLON.’

      44“Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen. 45“And having received it in their turn, our fathers brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the nations whom God drove out before our fathers, until the time of David. 46“David found favor in God’s sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47“But it was Solomon who built a house for Him. 48“However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

      49‘HEAVEN IS MY THRONE,
AND EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET;
WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?’ says the Lord,
‘OR WHAT PLACE IS THERE FOR MY REPOSE?

      50‘WAS IT NOT MY HAND WHICH MADE ALL THESE THINGS?’

      51“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. 52“Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; 53you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”

 Stephen Put to Death

      54Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 55But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. 58When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.

Do you want faith and courage like that of Stephen? I certainly do!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please guide Your people in the Holy Spirit and fill us with courage to stand boldly to proclaim the good news of our Messiah no matter who the audience may be. Please strengthen my faith so that I stand my ground on the truth of Your revelation in scripture and in the earthly ministry of Yeshua even if it costs me my life. May my life bring glory and honor to You and Your name rather than comfort to me. Amen.

Those who truly believe in Christ and submit to Him have the hope of everlasting life with Him in Heaven even after we “fall asleep” in this life.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Arrogance, Blessed, Consequences of Sin, Curse, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Humility, Justice / Judgment, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

As His Children, We Rise and Fall With the LORD

Yahweh’s people often rise and fall with His favor or displeasure. Once again in 2 Chronicles 26 we see the pattern of a blessing for one who obeys, growing strong when he was not, and a curse for one who goes against the LORD’s ways, even when he was strong. The LORD can make or break us. He is ruler over all.

2 Chronicles 26

Uzziah Succeeds Amaziah in Judah

      1And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. 2He built Eloth and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers. 3Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem. 4He did right in the sight of the LORD according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God prospered him.

Uzziah Succeeds in War

      6Now he went out and warred against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the area of Ashdod and among the Philistines. 7God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. 8The Ammonites also gave tribute to Uzziah, and his fame extended to the border of Egypt, for he became very strong. 9Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate and at the Valley Gate and at the corner buttress and fortified them. 10He built towers in the wilderness and hewed many cisterns, for he had much livestock, both in the lowland and in the plain. He also had plowmen and vinedressers in the hill country and the fertile fields, for he loved the soil. 11Moreover, Uzziah had an army ready for battle, which entered combat by divisions according to the number of their muster, prepared by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the official, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s officers. 12The total number of the heads of the households, of valiant warriors, was 2,600. 13Under their direction was an elite army of 307,500, who could wage war with great power, to help the king against the enemy. 14Moreover, Uzziah prepared for all the army shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows and sling stones. 15In Jerusalem he made engines of war invented by skillful men to be on the towers and on the corners for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. Hence his fame spread afar, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

Pride Is Uzziah’s Undoing

      16But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17Then Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of the LORD, valiant men. 18They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from the LORD God.” 19But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the altar of incense. 20Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they hurried him out of there, and he himself also hastened to get out because the LORD had smitten him. 21King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death; and he lived in a separate house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of the LORD. And Jotham his son was over the king’s house judging the people of the land.

      22Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first to last, the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, has written. 23So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the grave which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” And Jotham his son became king in his place.

We can certainly point to wicked and worldly men who have much success in an earthly sense in terms of money and power. We see examples in the Bible as well. We may not always understand why Yahweh will allow some to prosper even when they are not walking with Him or why He may seem to punish those who are closer to Him when they sin. We do see a trend, however, where the closer someone is to walking with Him, the higher the LORD’s expectations. One way to think about this is a father who disciplines his own children rather than those who are not his.

Hebrews 12:4-11

A Father’s Discipline

4You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

“MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,

NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE PUNISHED BY HIM;

6FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,

AND HE PUNISHES EVERY SON WHOM HE ACCEPTS.” 7It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Let us not focus on second guessing the LORD when we encounter situations like 2 Chronicles 26, but rather understand that we need to be vigilant to avoid pride and continue serving and seeking Yahweh with humility according to His ways. I will admit, however, that I am curious as to whether or not Uzziah ever repented and if he would have if his fate would have been different.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help us as your people to continue to seek and serve You. Thank You for the Bible with Your holy instructions and for Your Spirit to lead and guide us. Help us to hold fast to a spirit of humility even when we seem to be strong and doing well. Help us to live lives that are pleasing to You. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Arrogance, Blessed, Consequences of Sin, Curse, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Humility, Idols / False Gods, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Pride, Provider, Repenting from Sin, Righteous, Submitted / Servant, Teachable, Unteachable / Foolish, Worldliness

Serve the LORD, but with a Whole Heart

It is good when we do right in the sight of the LORD and serve Him. However, let us learn a lesson from Amaziah to do so with our whole heart. It can be too easy to compromise and blend with the world and culture around us and then get defensive and angry at those who would rightly speak the word of the LORD to us calling us to repent.

2 Chronicles 25

Amaziah Succeeds Joash in Judah

      1Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart. 3Now it came about as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, that he killed his servants who had slain his father the king. 4However, he did not put their children to death, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, which the LORD commanded, saying, “Fathers shall not be put to death for sons, nor sons be put to death for fathers, but each shall be put to death for his own sin.”

Amaziah Defeats Edomites

      5Moreover, Amaziah assembled Judah and appointed them according to their fathers’ households under commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds throughout Judah and Benjamin; and he took a census of those from twenty years old and upward and found them to be 300,000 choice men, able to go to war and handle spear and shield. 6He hired also 100,000 valiant warriors out of Israel for one hundred talents of silver. 7But a man of God came to him saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel nor with any of the sons of Ephraim. 8“But if you do go, do it, be strong for the battle; yet God will bring you down before the enemy, for God has power to help and to bring down.” 9Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “The LORD has much more to give you than this.” 10Then Amaziah dismissed them, the troops which came to him from Ephraim, to go home; so their anger burned against Judah and they returned home in fierce anger.

      11Now Amaziah strengthened himself and led his people forth, and went to the Valley of Salt and struck down 10,000 of the sons of Seir. 12The sons of Judah also captured 10,000 alive and brought them to the top of the cliff and threw them down from the top of the cliff, so that they were all dashed to pieces. 13But the troops whom Amaziah sent back from going with him to battle, raided the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth-horon, and struck down 3,000 of them and plundered much spoil.

Amaziah Rebuked for Idolatry

      14Now after Amaziah came from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought the gods of the sons of Seir, set them up as his gods, bowed down before them and burned incense to them. 15Then the anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people who have not delivered their own people from your hand?” 16As he was talking with him, the king said to him, “Have we appointed you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” Then the prophet stopped and said, “I know that God has planned to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”

Amaziah Defeated by Joash of Israel

      17Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.” 18Joash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thorn bush which was in Lebanon sent to the cedar which was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trampled the thorn bush. 19“You said, ‘Behold, you have defeated Edom.’ And your heart has become proud in boasting. Now stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you, even you, would fall and Judah with you?”

      20But Amaziah would not listen, for it was from God, that He might deliver them into the hand of Joash because they had sought the gods of Edom. 21So Joash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belonged to Judah. 22Judah was defeated by Israel, and they fled each to his tent. 23Then Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, 400 cubits. 24He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

      25And Amaziah, the son of Joash king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. 26Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last, behold, are they not written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel? 27From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD they conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there. 28Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

Yahweh does indeed have the power to help or to bring down, to bless or to curse. He can have much more influence in this matter than all of our best and most creative efforts. We should take great caution not to turn from His ways in order to pursue our success. We are called to serve Him and live according to His ways wholeheartedly, not half heartedly. It is not a matter of being less wicked or more righteous than the average person. It is about are we fully submitted to the LORD with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

Prayerfully reflect on your own life. What evidence is there in your actions and words and thoughts that you may not be fully submitted? Honestly evaluate the evidence that would indicate you may be compromising or blending with the world and culture around you, even if unintentionally. Engage the help of a trusted friend and godly advisor or mentor. Avoid being defensive and angry. Listen. Don’t make the same mistake Amaziah made by dismissing the wise counsel.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please show me where I am blending with the world around me. Help me to see clearly and to set myself and my family apart for your use. May your Spirit open my eyes to areas in my life where I need to make changes and be more fully devoted and submitted to You. Send wise counsel and help me listen to it. Help me to serve as wise counsel for other believers. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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