Today's Devotion

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August 18 Morning



2 Chronicles 16:7-9 (NIV) 7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: "Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. 8 Were not the Cu****es and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war."



Asa was one of the good kings of Judah. He restored the Temple and encouraged the nation to return to the worship of Jehovah. While he was earnestly working on the Temple, God gave him peace for ten years. When an enemy finally did come to attack, he relied upon God and completely defeated them. He had set his heart to seek the LORD.

After Asa had reigned 35 years, the king of Israel, Baasha, began to fortify cities along the border. This was indication that he was preparing for war. Instead of seeking God as he had done earlier, he took the treasures from the Temple and bribed the king of Aram to break his treaty with Israel. The tactic was successful in that Baasha gave up his plan to attack Judah. It was not a success in the eyes of God who sent Hanani the seer with these words of instruction. Had Asa forgotten how God helped him when he was small and unsure of himself? God is always searching the earth to find hearts fully committed to Him. Those are the hearts He strengthens.

Sometimes we attain immediate success, but because we did not do things God's way we end up with long-term problems. Asa later came down with a disease in his feet. He would not seek God for that either, but only sought help from the doctors. That resulted in his death. Asa's legacy was a good one, but it would have been even better if he had stayed dependent on God.



As God blesses your life, recognize that strength is from Him. Stay fully dependent on Him.


Evening

August 18

John 1:17-18 (NIV) 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.



Moses was the mediator of the Law. He was the One who went up onto the mountain and met with God. He brought down the aws of God to guide the nation of Israel to the Messiah. The Law brought a realization of our failure to glorify God. Through the Law, man could see how incapable he is and how dependent on God he must be.

When the Messiah came, He was the mediator of grace and truth. We see the grace and truth of God in His life. Moses brought the Law on tablets of stone. Jesus brought grace and truth in His very being. The life He lived and the words that He spoke were the grace and truth of God to man. Our requirement to glorify God is met in Jesus' life.

The only One who could ever convey to us who God is, the fullness of His truth and grace, is the One who has always been with God. No one else has truly seen God. Moses got just a glimpse. That glimpse could not convey His fullness; only the One eternally with God could do that. Jesus has made God known to mankind. Every other man that has tried to convey the truth of God falls infinitely short of the revelation that Jesus demonstrated with His own life and words. Whatever mediator you choose to turn to, none can come close to the revelation you see in the Gospels. Only Jesus can truly make God known to us.

If you have been looking to some other person, whether they are a Christian or not, realize that the revelation of God to your heart must be known personally through Jesus. At best, that other person can only point you to Him as I am attempting to do now. You must meet Him personally in the Gospels. He is the only One who can truly make God known to you.

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August 19 Morning



2 Chronicles 18:19-21 (NIV) 19 And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?' "One suggested this, and another that. 20 Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' "'By what means?' the LORD asked. 21 "'I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,' he said. "'You will succeed in enticing him,' said the LORD. 'Go and do it.'



This passage is troublesome to many. God is not a man that He should lie. What is happening here? Ahab was one of the wickedest kings of Israel. His wife, Jezebel, was the wickedest queen. Jehoshaphat had become the king of Judah and was his ally. Though Jehoshaphat was a godly king, he must not have had much discernment. Many prophets declared that Ahab would win the battle, but Jehoshaphat wanted to hear from a prophet of Jehovah. When he was called, he first told him to go and win the battle. When Ahab pressed him for the truth, he told what he saw in the halls of heaven, today's passage.

God was asking the angels how to get Ahab to go to his doom in a battle against Ramoth-Gilead. The text suggests the angels made suggestions, but all were declined. Finally one spirit said, "I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets. I believe this was a fallen spirit. They are always seeking to harm mankind. God's hand of protection holds them back unless it serves His ultimate purpose in which he allows them freedom to act. We see the same kind of scenario in the beginning of Job.

Ahab had Jehoshaphat wear royal robes, and he dressed in normal soldier attire. When the Aramean army went after Jehoshaphat's chariot, he fled. A stray arrow found the joint in Ahab's armor and mortally wounded him. You can't get away from the decrees of God. A fallen spirit and a heathen army were used to bring judgment on the murderer, Ahab. Tomorrow we'll see how God dealt with Jehoshaphat for befriending Ahab.



Consider: Be sure your sin will find you out.


Evening

August 19

John 1:29,33-34 (NIV) 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

Throughout the Jewish history, all the way back to Abel, a lamb had been slain as a sacrifice. The lamb never really took the sins from the people. Each sacrifice was a look forward in faith to the perfect Lamb that would. It was an expression of faith that one-day God would provide. That expression of faith made them right with God. It did not take away guilt, however. Each year the atonement sacrifice was made again.

John the Baptist was sent ahead of Jesus to prepare people's hearts for His ministry. The Holy Spirit had given a very specific sign to John. The One that he sees the Holy Spirit come down on like a dove is the One who will baptize people with the Holy Spirit. This One is the Son of God. John saw that happen when he baptized Jesus.

As Jesus walked by, John told his disciples, Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. This was the Lamb that millions of lambs throughout history were just a shadow of. He is God's Lamb. He is the One God provided to be the perfect sacrifice for sin. He had to be a sinless man that could take on the sins of others and take the curse of death for that sin in their place. The time had come. The Messiah was present. Look! Fix your eyes on Jesus. He takes away the sins of the world, your sin and mine. What a beautiful Lamb God has provided! This is the Son of God! There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.

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August 20 Morning



2 Chronicles 19:1-3 (NIV) 1 When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem, 2 Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you. 3 There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God."



In yesterday's devotion, Jehoshaphat had narrowly escaped death when he went out to battle in league with wicked Ahab. As he returned to Jerusalem, he was met by Jehu the seer. Jehu gave him a word from the LORD. "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Most Christians today would quickly answer, Yes! He had almost given his life for wicked Ahab. It was not as though he did not know how wicked he was. Jehoshaphat had cleansed his country of idolatry and knew Ahab promoted it in his own land. Surely he had heard of Elijah's victory on Mt. Carmel and of Ahab and Jezebel's response. He must have known how evil he was, and yet, he joined forces with him.

Don't be unequally yoked with unbelievers, the Apostle Paul tells us. This surely was an unequal yoke. We know that God loves the world. Yet, here in this prophetic word, the wrath of God is upon Jehoshaphat because he helped the wicked and loved the man who hated the LORD.

Ahab had crossed the line so many times, and in spite of all the chances God had given him, he set his heart against the LORD and against His prophets. We must have a discerning spirit to know when we are assisting those who have set themselves against the Kingdom of God. We are not to help them or even love them. I can hear the gasp as you read that line. Hate the sin and love the sinner? Yes, unless they have come to the place where they know the truth and yet hate the LORD.(see 2 John 10,11; Psalm 139:21)


Evening

August 20

John 1:48,50-51 (NIV) 48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

50 Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51 He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."



The Apostle John gives us a description of the other apostles' first encounters with Jesus. He describes how Philip invited Nathanael to come and see. Philip was already using Jesus' words. Nathanael had a hard time believing the Messiah could come from Nazareth.

When he approached Jesus, Jesus said he was an Israelite in whom nothing false could be found. When Nathanael asked Jesus how he knew that, Jesus told him that He had seen him under the fig tree before Philip came to him. It seems that this was some kind of sign to Nathanael, because he immediately declared Jesus as the Son of God. The Holy Spirit must have revealed something to Jesus of a spiritual encounter under that fig tree. We would call it a word of knowledge, but since Jesus is one with the Spirit, it would be more than that. Jesus can use the term I saw you.

We sometimes wonder if God does see us in the secret place when we pour out our hearts to him. Perhaps Nathanael was asking God to give him a sign that his prayers were heard. We'll have to wait until heaven to find out. What we can know of a certainty is, Jesus sees us there and can let us know that He does.

Jesus then told Nathanael that seeing Him there was nothing compared to what Nathanael would see in the future. He was going to see the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. That is a reference to Jacob's ladder. Jesus was saying that He is the ladder. The angels, messengers of God, go and come through Him. He is the connection between heaven and earth. The revelation of God and His work in the world comes through Jesus. The answers you are searching for come via Jesus.

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Devotions for 08-21
August 21 Morning



2 Chronicles 19:9-10 (NIV) 9 He gave them these orders: "You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the LORD. 10 In every case that comes before you from your fellow countrymen who live in the cities--whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or ordinances--you are to warn them not to sin against the LORD; otherwise his wrath will come on you and your brothers. Do this, and you will not sin.



Jehoshaphat appointed judges according to the Law of God and ordered them to act in the fear of God, not taking bribes, and being impartial. He warned them that they were not judging for men but for God who placed them in their positions. We could say the same for any Christian in any activity. We should all do our work in the fear of God, knowing that we represent Him and not ourselves.

Then Jehoshaphat gave them the instructions in our text for today. Serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the LORD. Whatever work we are called to we, too, should serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the LORD. Is that how you would describe your work ethic? If it is, God is glorified in your work.

The fear of the LORD is rarely mentioned today. The judges were supposed to make judgments in the fear of the LORD and to warn people that the wrath of God would come upon those who sin against the LORD. The fear of the LORD and His judgments were motivating factors of that day. Because we have a greater revelation of the love of God, should the fear of the LORD motivate us any less? I believe they should go hand in hand. As we read of kings whose hearts turned away from God and faced defeat and disease, we should recognize that it is love that brings wrath for the purpose of turning us. We should do all things in the fear of the LORD. That is having a healthy respect for His holiness and His Fatherly love.



Meditation: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Proverbs 1:7a


Evening

August 21

John 2:9-11 (NIV) 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." 11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

Some of John the Baptist's disciples were following Jesus. Sometime between the wilderness temptation and the first Passover of Jesus' ministry, Jesus and those disciples went up to a wedding. Cana is very close to Nazareth. A wedding is a weeklong party in the Jewish tradition of that day. The groom must have been a friend or relative of Jesus' physical family. We can see that Jesus was concerned about these social events during his ministry.

Mary, Jesus' mother, asked Jesus to deal with the problem of lack of wine. If the host ran out of wine before the week of celebration was up, it would be a shameful thing. At first Jesus seems to suggest that He will not do anything, at least anything miraculous, to help. He said His time had not yet come. Then He asks for six stone water jars that hold 20 to 30 gallons each to be filled with water. What changed His mind? I think we can safely assume the Spirit of God instructed Him to go ahead and act, giving Him specific instructions.

When the master of the banquet tasted the water that was turned to wine, he was surprised that the best wine was served last. When Jesus makes something it is the best. The Spirit of God chose this to be the first miracle of Jesus' ministry. The disciples placed their faith in him when they saw this transformation of physical matter, but it may be saying much more to us. The Apostle Paul referred to men as clay pots with a treasure inside. We are a vessel for the Holy Spirit. Wine is often used as a symbol of the Spirit. John the Baptist had preached that the Lamb of God had come to baptize people with the Spirit of God. The bulk of our physical being is actually water. This first sign signified the great work Jesus had come to begin, the transformation of mankind into vessels filled with His Spirit. He would make that possible through His death, resurrection and ascension. Be filled with the Spirit. God has saved the best for last.

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August 22 Morning



2 Chronicles 20:2-4 (NIV) 2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi). 3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.



In spite of Jehoshaphat's lack of discernment, he knew what to do in time of trouble. This is a model chapter in how to face difficulty in our lives. Instead of running to his generals, he ran to the LORD. He resolved to inquire of the LORD. When we are alarmed, we will run to where our trust is placed. He proclaimed a fast. The people of the nation came together to seek God. From every town they came to seek Him.

We need to learn a lesson from this. We often put our heads together to come up with a solution. We are great at running to friends to ask for advice, like Rehoboam did. We even grab a book like, How to Deal with Troubled Teens. What we need to do is be resolved to inquire of the LORD. When we do, those under our influence do also. Jehoshaphat's good example led the nation down the only path that would save them. Believe it or not, America has had a nationally declared day of prayer and fasting in its history, too.

Once they decided they would wait upon God, He spoke to them! First, Jehoshaphat led them in a prayer in which he laid the situation before God. He declared that power belonged to God. He confessed their weakness and ignorance and that their eyes were upon God. Then they stood before the LORD with their wives and children and waited. What an example for us today! We need to learn to wait. God spoke through Jahaziel. God said the battle was His, and He gave them their marching orders.



Prayer: Lord God, help us to learn to turn to You first, recognize our need, and wait until we get Your answer.


Evening

August 22

John 2:23-25 (NIV) 23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. 25 He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.

This was the first Passover Feast of Jesus' ministry. He had been going every year, but now the Spirit had directed Him to do miraculous things to confirm the words that He spoke. The Jews believed that miracles authenticated the ministry of the prophet. In Jesus' case, He would do miracles that were beyond the scope of any prophet.

Though the people believed in Him, He did not entrust (or commit) himself to them. He understood the nature of man. Since the Spirit had not been poured out, Jesus knew He could count on man to be self-centered and treacherous. The Old Testament tells us that if we place our trust in man, we put ourselves under a curse. Jesus was following the agenda of the Holy Spirit, not that of man. He committed Himself to God alone.

Jesus did not need to learn from experience that men are evil. He knew from the time of being conscious of His condition as the Son of God in human form. When He found Himself in the fashion of a man He humbled himself and became obedient to the Father. He knows our condition. He knows our nature.

We need to understand this lesson. Even the best-intentioned men are men. Even Spirit filled men can backslide. Our trust and hope must be in God alone. We should have fellowship and work together with our brothers, but ultimately we commit ourselves to the Father. Jesus is the head of the body, and He alone can give us our instructions. We must obey Him above all the leading and programs and schemes of men.

Knowing what is in man also means knowing what is in me. I must follow the Apostle Paul's example of keeping my body submitted to the will of God, dying daily. It is important for us to understand what is in man. It keeps us looking to the right source, and it guards our hearts against making men idols. It should also keep us dependent on the Lord.

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August 23 Morning



2 Chronicles 20:21-22 (NIV) 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." 22 As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.



Yesterday we read about the people waiting upon God and getting His instructions on how to face the vast army coming against them. They believed and began to obey God. Jehoshaphat consulted with the people to see if they had the faith to put singers out front. Apparently they liked the idea. Since they truly believed that God was going to fight the battle and deliver them, they thought they might as well sing His praise for the splendor of His holiness on the way there. This huge men's choir sang the same chorus that was sung at the dedication of the Temple. It must have been the national anthem of Judah.

If you ever attended a Promise Keeper event and heard ten thousands of men sing praises to God, you have a taste of what this must have been like. The praise was not a part of the LORD's instruction, but it was a natural response when they believed He was delivering them from their enemy. As they sang, the LORD turned the enemy upon one another. There was not one enemy soldier left alive. Judah took three days to gather all the spoils of war. There was more than they could carry away. On the fourth day they held a great praise festival at the Valley of Praise.

The people's response to God's word in the face of a major threat upon their lives is an example to us. They didn't mope around or complain and whine, instead, they sang their thanks to God for who He is.



Consider: It is often in the midst of an expression of faith that the LORD delivers us from the thing we fear.


Evening

August 23

John 3:6-8 (NIV) 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."



One of the Jewish religious leaders came to Jesus at night. He probably did not want to be seen by his colleagues because they were jealous of Jesus. He admitted that they knew Jesus came from God because of the miracles He performed. His name was Nicodemus. Let's call him Nicky. Nicky had one thing on his mind and Jesus knew what it was before he asked. "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

Like most of the folks in the Bible, he was thinking literally and Jesus was speaking symbolically. To explain, Jesus spoke the passage for today. Flesh gives birth to flesh. A human body gives birth to a human body, but if you are going to be born from above, you must be born of spirit, for God is a spirit. Surely a religious leader like Nicky should be able to understand such a thing. Actually, it was amazing that he had a hunger for the truth at all. The religious establishment was so corrupt that power and money were the driving forces of their decisions. We'll see Nicky later in the Gospel of John.

Jesus went on to say that the person born of the Spirit is like the wind. The word for spirit and wind is the same in the languages of the Bible. You hear the wind, but can't tell where it came from or where it is going. The person born of the Spirit doesn't understand God's past working in their life, and they don't know where God will lead them tomorrow. Life is an adventure with God. Nicky thought he knew where he came from and where he would be tomorrow. His life was all planned out. He was working his way up the ladder of power and influence, but the truth was getting in the way and nagging him with doubts about the validity of his goals.

Are you born of the Spirit? Is God free to direct your life as your Lord and Master, or are you headed in the direction you have set for yourself? Is there a question in your heart as to the validity of your goals? Sit down with your Maker and let Him show you that a life of faith is incomparably superior.

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August 24 Morning



2 Chronicles 20:35-37 (NIV) 35 Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who was guilty of wickedness. 36 He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships. After these were built at Ezion Geber, 37 Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made." The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.



Jehoshaphat went down in history as a godly king. Like most of the kings, he did not remove the high places. There was always a remnant of idol worship allowed to remain. Those places seemed to be the enemy's stronghold in Judah that no one had the boldness to conquer. Though Jehoshaphat made his share of mistakes, overall, his heart was after God and he was said to have walked in the ways of Asa his father.

At the end of his life he had a chance to practice a lesson that he had learned early on as a king. Do you remember when he made the alliance with Ahab? A prophet warned him of God's judgement for loving the one that hated God. (September 21) Ahab was the wickedest king of Israel.

In our passage today, Jehoshaphat again made an alliance with a wicked king of Israel. It is not a war, just a business venture. They teamed up to build some ships. Solomon had imported great amounts of wealth, and perhaps these kings thought that they could do the same. The LORD destroyed those ships before they could set sail.

Jehoshaphat may have justified the situation in his mind saying, It is only business.When we learn a lesson, the LORD often allows us to face the temptation again to see if we have really learned it. Is our heart really given to God and not flesh in those situations?Jehoshaphat failed the test a second time and had this blot on his testimony.



Warning: Watch those areas of weakness where you think you have learned a lesson. They may come again to see if your heart has surrendered in that area to God. It is a chance to examine our heart and see what is not yet in the LORD's hands.


Evening

August 24

John 3:14-16 (NIV) 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

In trying to help Nicodemus to understand His mission, Jesus related what He had come to do with a story from the Law. Nicodemus studied the Law daily and would have immediately understood the implications. When the Children of Israel were complaining about their circumstances, God sent fiery serpents among them. Those who were bitten died in a short time. Moses asked God what he could do to save them. God told him to make a brazen serpent and put it on a pole. Anyone that had been bitten could look at the image and be healed. That is where the medical symbol of today comes from.

Jesus related this story to His mission. To be hung on a pole was to be cursed according to the Law. The brass in the image represented judgment. Jesus was saying that He would be cursed and judged so that the sin sick world could look to Him and live.

Why? Because God loved the world so much that He was willing to send His only Son to save the world from their certain death condition. He was the only one who could take the curse and sins of the world upon Himself and satisfy the justice of God. Those who lived before Christ looked forward in time to what Jesus would do for them. Those of us who live after the cross look back in time to what He did there. We all gaze upon the cross and in believing are healed from this deadly poison of sin. God so loved YOU that He gave His only Son, that if YOU will believe in Him, YOU will not die from the poison of sin in you. You will have eternal life. Have you looked and been healed?

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August 25 Morning



2 Chronicles 21:13-15 (NIV) 13 But you have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did. You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your father's house, men who were better than you. 14 So now the LORD is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow. 15 You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out.



When Jehoshaphat died, his son Jehoram began to reign. His first act was to have his brothers murdered. He married one of wicked King Ahab's daughters. He led Judah into idolatry. Under Jehoshaphat, the kingdom of Judah had one of the largest and most powerful armies the nation ever had. Even when they were outnumbered, God intervened and helped them because they looked to Him. But his son took after the weakness of his father and made that his life. We need to realize that our children are watching our areas of compromise.

Nations that were paying tribute began to rebel. When Jehoram went to deal with them, he lost in battle. His power steadily diminished, but he still did not turn to the LORD. Elijah brought him a word from the LORD, our text for today. Every detail of it was fulfilled, but there is no record of Jehoram's repentance. The old saying, His head is bloodied but not bowed, certainly was applicable to Jehoram. Enemies came and robbed him of his wealth. They killed all but his youngest son. He reaped what he had sown.

Finally he became ill and suffered a painful death just as Elijah prophesied. The record says that he passed away to no one's regret. There was no honorary fire, and he was not buried with the kings of Judah. Just because people follow a man into evil does not mean that they honor him. Most serve a man like this out of fear and hope for position rather than respect. After the good kings Asa and Jehoshaphat, the kingdom of Judah dive-bombed to one of its lowest conditions in the short reign of one evil man.



Consider: One person can do so much good, or they can do so much evil with its accompanying destruction. Evil always makes you pay more than you expect it could ever cost.


Evening

August 25

John 3:19-21 (NIV) 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

God is a just God. He will deal with men according to the revelation of the truth they have seen. John the Beloved told us in the first chapter that everyone sees the light of God. Some would personally witness His miraculous life or hear about it from those who did. We have had a revelation of the light of reality through the message passed down to us in the Gospels. Some of us have had a personal revelation of the Light. Then comes the choice of what we will do with what we have seen and heard. If there was no revealing of light, we would not be accountable, but that is not the case.

The revelation of Light will have one of two affects. The light always draws you to the truth. Then we either desire it or hate it. That is usually evident in the lifestyle we choose. If we cling to self and our own ways, we will avoid the Light. When the Light comes to visit in believers, those who love darkness are repulsed by the Light in their life. They will find excuses to hate them also. That is why lovers of darkness will find friends who love the same, and those who love the light will gather with others who do too.

Those who love the Light continue to come to the Light. They do not want to be deceived and go on in the darkness of their own ways. Instead, they want to be certain that what they do is done through God, so they are continually coming to the Light. Do you come to the Light of God in His word, prayer, and fellowship to discern if what you're doing is of selfish origin or of God? The Light makes everything plain. Walk in the Light.

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August 26 Morning



2 Chronicles 24:2,5-6 (NIV) 2 Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years of Jehoiada the priest 5 He called together the priests and Levites and said to them, "Go to the towns of Judah and collect the money due annually from all Israel, to repair the temple of your God. Do it now." But the Levites did not act at once. 6 Therefore the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest and said to him, "Why haven't you required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by Moses the servant of the LORD and by the assembly of Israel for the Tent of the Testimony?"



It was really Jehoiada's love for God and faith in His promises that motivated him to risk his life to see that the throne was restored to the lineage of David. Being Joash's surrogate father, he had a great deal of influence on the king. Our passage today indicates that his influence kept Joash obedient to God as long as Jehoiada lived.

Shortly into the reign of Joash we see the reverse was also true. Joash, probably then a young teen, ordered the collection of the temple tax. He wanted the temple repaired. Former Queen Athaliah had robbed the temple for the temple of Baal. When the priests were slow to obey the command, he called Jehoiada and asked him why he wasn't seeing that the Word of God was being lived up to. Now it is Jehoiada's turn to reap what he had sowed. He sowed the word into Joash's life and now Joash was requiring him to act on that word. For those who love the Lord, a challenge to obey is not a trial to bear. It is a blessing.

Sometimes the ones we mentor can turn around and mentor us in areas we are blind to, or making excuses for. What better evidence could we have that our work in the LORD is being blessed and taking hold? Proverbs 12:1 tells us the man who hates correction is stupid. Proverbs 13:8 tells us the one who heeds it is honored.



Consider: Do you welcome the correction of others, even when they are someone you have taught?


Evening

August 26

John 3:28-30 (NIV) 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.



One of John the Baptist's disciples asked if he was concerned about Jesus becoming more popular than him. John answered that a man can only have what God gives him. If God gives a man favor or anointing, the Sovereign God of all allowed that. Who are we to question it?

John reminded them that his message had always been that of the forerunner. He was only there to announce the coming of the Messiah. Then John gave them an illustration from the marriage customs of that day. When a groom went to receive his bride, he would take his bride into her house where she was conceived and consummate the marriage. The friend of the groom (best man) would wait outside the door of the home for the voice of the groom to announce that the marriage was consummated. Then the friend would announce to the waiting crowd that the marriage was complete, and the weeklong party could begin. It was a tremendously joyous occasion.

John the Baptist was saying that he is like that friend of the groom. The bride, the people of God, belong to the Messiah, not the friend. He is not sorrowful that Jesus had become more popular. It was like hearing the voice of the groom saying the marriage is complete. John is calling out that it is time for a party, not whining about losing the limelight. John the Baptist's joy was complete in knowing that people were going to Jesus. It was a necessity that John's ministry wind down, and that Jesus' ministry take off and surpass that of John's.

Sometimes we forget that our work for Jesus is not about our popularity but about His. People may be attracted to our ministry, but if that does not send them on to Jesus, we have lost sight of what it is all about. He must increase in the eyes of those we minister to, and in doing so we will naturally decrease. That is not a sad thing, it should be the completion of our joy.

[admin]

August 27 Morning



2 Chronicles 24:17-18 (NIV) 17 After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. 18 They abandoned the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God's anger came upon Judah and Jerusalem.



Jehoiada the priest was a very positive influence on Joash and upon the nation of Judah. God's grace allowed him to live to be 130 years old. Once he died, the officials of Judah began to exert their influence upon Joash. Instead of influencing the world around them with their faith in Jehovah, they wanted to be like the world around them and worship Asherah poles and idols. Joash was so influenced by them that the temple of God, that he had insisted be repaired, fell into disuse.

God sent prophets to warn the people that they would not prosper if they continued down this path. Today, in our culture, we need to be the voice that warns that our nation will not prosper if we continue our current trend of forsaking the worship of the true God. One of the voices that spoke out was Jehoiada's own son, Zechariah. He warned that if they forsook God, He would forsake them. The officials convinced the king to have him put to death. This was the son of the man who had saved him and set him up as king. He signed the order and Zechariah was stoned in the temple courtyard. When the voices of truth are silenced so that the people can go their own way without God, judgment is at hand. The next spring, the army of Aram came and killed all the officials that had such an evil influence and took the treasures of the city to Damascus. Joash lay wounded in his bed. His court servants assassinated him in revenge of the death of Zechariah. What a great beginning, but what a sad end.

We are tempted to not speak out for fear of facing Zechariah's fate. The alternative is to face the fate of Joash.



Consider: Life is fatal. We will all give an account of our life before God. Better to try to call those you influence to God, in hopes of repentance, rather than to be silent and die when God judges the land.






Evening

August 27

John 3:34-36 (NIV) 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."



Here is a three verse summary of the entire Bible. Jesus spoke the words of God. Of coarse, the prophets did also, but every word that flowed from His lips was directly from God. The Spirit was given to Him without any limitation, because He placed no limitations on the Spirit. We wonder why we do not have more anointing. It is because we limit the Spirit in some area of our life. We have reservations in some unsurrendered corner that we reserve for self. Jesus had no such reservations in His heart and mind. He humbled Himself and became obedient to the Father. It is pride in our life that keeps desires and thoughts from obedience to God. We make excuses like, I will not forgive that person, or I cannot do such a menial task or I have served enough for today. The resistance to the Spirit limits His influence on our life.

Everything has been placed in the hands of Jesus. He can do what He wills with all creation. When you know and love Him, that is a wonderful realization. When you resist and despise His Lordship, that is a frightening declaration.

If you presently and actively place your trust in Jesus, you possess eternal life. He is Life. He is eternal. When you commit yourself to Him, He lives in you as your eternal life. You begin to see life as it is with the meaning and beauty it was given. The whole earth is full of His glory. But if you reject the Son of God, if you refuse the gift of life and cling to your right to rule your life for your personal pleasure, another attribute of God will be evident in your time on earth and afterlife, wrath! God's wrath is the righteous response to the rejection of all that is good. It is justice toward those insistent upon joining that way that destroys both ones own self and those in contact with you. That wrath lives with you both through this life and forever. Choose Jesus! He is life abundantly. He is goodness. Surrender every corner of your heart and mind to Him and the Spirit of God will permeate your life.