Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

As go through the books of Kings who reign over the divided kingdom, Israel/Judah, of God’s people; we wonder why lessons are not learned and the same mistakes in judgement with detestable sins are repeatedly made.  Why can’t the kings submit to God and do what He says. Why must most kings of Israel and Judah succumb in their leadership to doing “evil in the eyes of the Lord” as an arrogant habitcausing most people who live in their kingdoms to sin as well which leads to destruction and the implosion of their nation? We are not alone for the prophet Isaiah cries, too!

“Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31

As we read and study the behaviors of the kings of Israel and Judah, still divided, we might be throwing up our hands in disgust at their sins. We might even be thinking proudly that we are certainly better now than they were. We, in our country, who declare ourselves “one nation under God” while singing “God bless America” must be “doing right in the eyes of the Lord”—but are we? 

Do you not know, have you not heard?!

We must remind ourselves that a relationship with God is personal.We are not saved because of being born of a certain heritage, culture, group or of a nation that speaks of God but does not necessarily do what He says.  We are only saved by the grace of God through Jesus, His Son who died for our sins and rose again in power to declare the glory of God!  His sacrificial act of obedience to God, the Father, redeemed us once and for all. It’s personal!

One by one we must repent of our sin to Jesus Christ who is our sacrificial Savior, accept the guidance and power of His Holy Spirit living in all who believe and repent to do what God says, then truly and committedly by our surrender trust and obey all God’s commands that Jesus taught us and demonstrated for us.  We cannot do life without the Source of Life eternal!  We won’t always get it right; but we will always be God’s children whom He loves unconditionally forever and forgives when we call on His Name.  Jesus reconciled us to God. Jesus did what we could not do for ourselves—remove our repented sins.  Our work is to go and teach others who God is, what Jesus did and how they can be reconciled to God to begin a growing, intimate relationship with God!

This is the continuing story of God where we find ourselves in need of Him today.

2 Kings 14

Amaziah King of Judah

14 In the second year of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. ² He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem. ³ He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash. ⁴ The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

⁵ After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king. ⁶ Yet he did not put the children of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the Lord commanded: “Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.”

⁷ He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day.

⁸ Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: “Come, let us face each other in battle.”

⁹ But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot. ¹⁰ You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?”

¹¹ Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah. ¹² Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home. ¹³ Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section about four hundred cubits long. ¹⁴ He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.

¹⁵ As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, what he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? ¹⁶ Jehoash rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And Jeroboam his son succeeded him as king.

¹⁷ Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. ¹⁸ As for the other events of Amaziah’s reign, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?

¹⁹ They conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. ²⁰ He was brought back by horse and was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors, in the City of David.

²¹ Then all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. ²² He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his ancestors.

Jeroboam II King of Israel

²³ In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. ²⁴ He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit. ²⁵ He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Dead Sea, in accordance with the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher.

²⁶ The Lord had seen how bitterly everyone in Israel, whether slave or free, was suffering; there was no one to help them. ²⁷ And since the Lord had not said he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.

²⁸ As for the other events of Jeroboam’s reign, all he did, and his military achievements, including how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? ²⁹ Jeroboam rested with his ancestors, the kings of Israel. And Zechariah his son succeeded him as king.

WHAT DO WE LEARN AND HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Even in ancient times, the average citizen didn’t care about the character of the nation’s leaders, so long as the people had food on their tables, money in their purses, and no fear of being invaded by their enemies. And it showed!

But as citizens of heaven, as children of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ, our Lord, there is so much more to life!  When God calls us by name, quickly and humbly come and listen to Him. God has great things to say as He relates His good, pleasing, and perfect will.

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” Romans 12:1-2, MSG

Believe, repent, follow, trust, and obey God—there’s no better way!

Lord,

I offer my life as an offering to you this morning. Show me your agenda for today.  May your glory be seen in and through me today.  I surrender to your will and purpose.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“Do you now believe? Jesus replied. A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”—Jesus, John 16:31-33 

Jesus is our victory over sin and death when we choose Him first and always!  In choosing Jesus and His gift of salvation; we become children of God, the Father who loves, cares, and completely forgives us when we repent of our sins in Jesus’ Name. 

By God’s grace we overcome because Jesus overcame the enemy!  So, as overcomers with Jesus, all temporary, passing troubles are just that—temporary!

By God’s mercy we are in right standing with him with a secure relationship with God, all because of Jesus. Our relationship with God, the most important relationship we will ever have and need, causes us to take heart and live a victorious life all because of Jesus. All we think, say, and do is now accomplished from the victory over the enemy Jesus provided for us!  “I’m dancing on the grave that I once lived in!” is not just a catchy phrase to a new song we sing—Jesus IS the Song!

Joash was only seven years old when he ascended the throne of Judah (2 Kings 11:21), and he had a long reign of forty years. A child of seven can’t rule a nation, so the high priest Jehoiada was his tutor and mentor. God provided a mentor who believed, trusted and chose to obey Him.  Joash, the impressionable young willing student, “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord”.  During all the years that Jehoiada instructed him, the king obeyed the Lord.  But later…

God provides all we need when we trust and obey Him.  Our true need is God! 

2 Kings 12

Joash Repairs the Temple

In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. ² Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. ³ The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

⁴ Joash said to the priests, “Collect all the money that is brought as sacred offerings to the temple of the Lord—the money collected in the census, the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily to the temple. ⁵ Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, then use it to repair whatever damage is found in the temple.”

⁶ But by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priests still had not repaired the temple. ⁷ Therefore King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, “Why aren’t you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple.” ⁸ The priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.

⁹ Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the Lord. The priests who guarded the entrance put into the chest all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord. ¹⁰ Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the Lord and put it into bags. ¹¹ When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the Lord—the carpenters and builders, ¹² the masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and blocks of dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the Lord, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.

¹³ The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the Lord; ¹⁴ it was paid to the workers, who used it to repair the temple. ¹⁵ They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty. ¹⁶ The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the temple of the Lord; it belonged to the priests.

¹⁷ About this time Hazael king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem. ¹⁸ But Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his predecessors—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the Lord and of the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew from Jerusalem.

¹⁹ As for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? ²⁰ His officials conspired against him and assassinated him at Beth Millo, on the road down to Silla. ²¹ The officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Between the restoration of the temple and this account of war with Aram, Jehoiada the priest passed away. Without his godly mentor to keep him in line, King Joash showed the true colors of his human nature and abandoned the faith (2 Chronicles 24:15–17). Under pressure from the king of Aram, Joash robbed the temple and bribed King Hazael not to attack Jerusalem.

Friends, we learn that we need each other to stay in harmony with God’s will and purpose in our lives! The enemy is great but Jesus who lives in us is greater still and we need daily reminders of this power and victory!  Church is a command to Peter to build to help us. Church, built on faith and following Jesus, is a group of people who gather to build each other up, sing songs of encouragement, confess sins to each other knowing we will be unconditionally loved. Church, with Jesus as the Head of this Body of believers and the Source of Life eternal, is a gathering where we are taught how to “obey all the commands” of Jesus upon choosing to follow Him and professing our allegiance to Him in a public baptism in His Name!  (Matthew 28:20)

However, living as a disciple of Jesus does not exclude us from the troubles, struggles and trials of temptations that come and go as we live in on God’s created earth.  The world we live in as been tainted by sin. The first sin against God was committed by His first created humans called Adam and Eve. Maybe we need to go over that story again.  I love to tell the story…

Before Adam and Eve decided to sin against God, they were prompted by the Enemy of God. This couple would “meet with God in the cool of the evening” as companions and friends of God.  “And He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His own.” Was that the song on their hearts before sin corrupted their relationship? Imagine walking and talking with God in beauty beyond our imaginations in a perfect garden!  Imagine no biting mosquitoes!  Okay, that’s just me.

Adam and Eve had full access to God in the perfect garden that he had created for them. There was no reason to repent and sacrifice to cover sin for sin had not been chosen yet as a way to make themselves feel better or soothe their need to want more.  They had it all and were perfectly satisfied to avoid the tree God said not to eat.  But herein lies a chose to be made. The Enemy of God slithers in to present a different choice for he cannot bear for God to be worshiped. Satan wants to be the object of worship!  Satan cannot bear this pure and holy relationship between God and humans created in his own image.  He is cunning and sly for he has dealt with God before and it got him kicked out of heaven.  The Enemy also knew that God also gave these newly created humans with a mind to make choices on their own.  So, he went to work on their minds. 

Our enemy knows God well as he used to be in the heavens with God until God threw him out for his attempts to be God. In fact, our enemy also knows the Son of God, Jesus who is a part of God.  His demons tremble before the Son of God!  Satan also knows God as the Spirit of Truth.  You see, Satan wanted to be God so he rose up against God in an attempt to overthrow God! God threw him out of the heavens along with his demon foot soldiers.  This act created choice for all humans. God or Satan.

Adam and Eve have a choice. Follow, trust and obey God or follow Satan’s deceiving words of that lead to death of a relationship with God.  Satan, the fallen angel, presents himself cunningly as the best choice to make.  Please know that Satan’s power is limited but still tempting as he knows just the right words to distract and deceive God’s created by tickling our ears with thoughts that entice our need for immediate gratification and self-satisfaction. Satan’s goal is to distract humans from God, deceive them with his words that distort God’s Word, so that he can destroy their relationship with God.  He succeeded with Adam and Eve. Satan performs regularly for us using the same old, tired tricks of deceit on you and me.

“Do you now believe?” Asks Jesus daily.  Be an overcomer of darkness, temporary troubles, and temptations and choose to trust and obey God.  He will use everything in our lives to build our faith and give us hope as victors with Jesus!  Choose Jesus!

It is written in the Chronicles of kings that the people buried Joash in Jerusalem but not in the royal cemetery of the kings where Jehoiada the high priest had been buried (2 Chronicles 24:16, 25). The boy king, who had such a good beginning because he chose to listen to Jehoiada who obeyed God, had a bad ending because he chose later to go his own way instead of the way of the Lord.

Lord,

I choose you because of your unconditional love for me. I choose to learn from Your Word and be filled more and more with knowledge of You so I can become more like you. I chose to trust in you alone and worship You with all that is in me—even when troubles come and go. When the enemy presents foolishness, I choose to lean on You and your wisdom, truth, and strength who lives in me. I choose your power to overcome the darkness. I chose freedom long ago and have no desire to be enslaved by the sins of my past.  I trust you with my life because you are Life!

In Jesus Name, Amen       

Imagine what you were doing at seven years of age. Need help? In our world you typically would be in first grade learning how to read, put words together in a sentence with one thought and do math equations.  Socially, you begin to realize that you are not the only one in the world but there are others like you who like playing more than working.  You are fidgety when put in one place to sit for more than five minutes.

You typical adore your teacher.  But you like the others in the room, too.  You like moving around curiously touching all objects in view. Some of you like talking to others while some of you like sitting quietly playing a game or messing with things that do not belong to you.  When you are focused on one thing you like; you do not want to be disturb.

Now, imagine a seven-year-old like yourself, being told one day to come to the Temple of the Lord to be anointed as King of Israel!  What are your thoughts, now? Evil is replaced by God with the innocence of a boy who becomes a king.  How will this work?

2 Kings 11

Athaliah and Joash

When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. ² But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. ³ He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

⁴ In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the Lord. Then he showed them the king’s son. ⁵ He commanded them, saying, “This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath—a third of you guarding the royal palace, ⁶ a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple— ⁷ and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king. ⁸ Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

⁹ The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest. ¹⁰ Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the Lord. ¹¹ The guards, each with weapon in hand, stationed themselves around the king—near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.

¹² Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, “Long live the king!”

¹³ When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the Lord. ¹⁴ She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar, as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her robes and called out, “Treason! Treason!”

¹⁵ Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: “Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the temple of the Lord.” ¹⁶ So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.

¹⁷ Jehoiada then made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people. ¹⁸ All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the Lord. ¹⁹ He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the Lord and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne. ²⁰ All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.

²¹ Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Joash, a baby son of a king was hidden until he was seven years old.  Then, God thought it was time to be brought forward to become King!  Under the guidance and mentorship of the priest Jehoiada who trusted and obeyed God.  He led Joash to purge the land of idolatry. The first order of business was to tear down the temple of Baal and destroy all that was associated with Baal! Later, Joash collected money and ordered the priests to repair the temple. When they failed, he brought in other workmen to complete the task. It always amazes us how God works through all kinds of people—and I think He loves it when we are amazed! 

What God does through the innocence of youth, the elderly who others think have nothing left to contribute, those crippled by life and set aside, the broken who are left in the dust, and the disheartened who seek something better—all ordinary people living ordinary lives are the very ones God brings to Himself to be mended and molded by His will and purpose. All people of all nations are loved by God who knows their hearts and their potential for He created all in His own image. God calls, prepares, equips, and sends His beloved to do tasks beyond human abilities to show the world His sovereignty, authority, power, compassion, love, mercy, and grace!  It’s all about God; less about ourselves. We yield to Him. God does not bend to our wishes. Be flexible.

In fact, the more we realize who God is and how He works; the more we begin to know and love like Him in ways that amaze us!  Love our enemies?  We do when we allow God’s love to work at full throttled power within us!  Forgive those who hurt and persecute us?  We are able when Jesus lives in us—for He is the secret. We forgive because Jesus, our Savior AND Lord forgave and forgives us when we fall for evil! We know what it’s like to be forgiven!

“For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.”—Paul to the church, Colossians 1:27, and now to us.  Jesus is our Hope!  May God’s glory be seen in our lives!

Yes, God uses all people in His Kingdom work as well as His called and anointed priests and pastors. Sometimes the most effective workers God commands to do His work in our imperfect world in need of a Savior are just ordinary people like you and me.  We are all called to point the Way to God through Jesus our Lord who saved us from our sins and reconciled us to God! 

“So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 2 Corinthians 5:20

By the authority given by God to Jesus, God commands us:

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”—Jesus, Matthew 28:20

If a seven-year-old can become a king; what can God do in and through us?  Be amazingly different than the world expects!

New life with God begins with surrender to God. Let us offer all that is within us to God as an offering to Him.  It is in surrender that God opens our eyes to His perfect and pleasing will for us. (Romans 12:1-2) Pause to ask God right now what He wants to do in and through us for our good and most of all for His glory?  Who is the first person who knows and follows Jesus we will call to mentor us?  Who will we mentor in the work of God’s Kingdom?  God will answer prayers like this. Listen to Him.  Then praise and thank God from whom all blessings flow!

Lord,

Thank you for this beautiful story of a child who became a king. Thank you for the courage of your servant who against all odds did what you told him to do to rid your people of evil idol worship that distracted them from you.  Thank you for all the mentors throughout my life who led me back to you. Thank you for giving me opportunities to mentor others about you, telling them how to trust and obey your teaching. Thank you for cleansing my heart, renewing my mind, refreshing me soul and restoring the joy and peace of you in me and me in you—daily! I’m yours.  And I’m listening.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Survivor, the game played with cunning and manipulation to rise as leader by avoiding being voted off by the other players, has been popular for years!  Many seasons, the audience watches to see how alliances are formed purely through manipulation and deceit. Human behaviors are studied by millions who root for their favorite while booing for their least favorite in this game to survive.  Tests are included to see who can stand the stress and stay in the group.

But what if, at the end of the show, no survivors were declared and all were defeated and sent home empty handed!  That seems to be the case in our passage today as we watch and learn how Jehu is zealous in his work for the Lord, but uses deceit and manipulation in the accomplishment of the work.  Jehu’s zealousness in the work of God portrays his heart for God after the work is done his way.  Does that still happen today?  Read, watch what happens, and learn…

2 Kings 10

Ahab’s Family Killed

Now there were in Samaria seventy sons of the house of Ahab. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria: to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders and to the guardians of Ahab’s children. He said, ² “You have your master’s sons with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weapons. Now as soon as this letter reaches you, ³ choose the best and most worthy of your master’s sons and set him on his father’s throne. Then fight for your master’s house.”

⁴ But they were terrified and said, “If two kings could not resist him, how can we?”

⁵ So the palace administrator, the city governor, the elders and the guardians sent this message to Jehu: “We are your servants and we will do anything you say. We will not appoint anyone as king; you do whatever you think best.”

⁶ Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are on my side and will obey me, take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel by this time tomorrow.”

Now the royal princes, seventy of them, were with the leading men of the city, who were rearing them. ⁷ When the letter arrived, these men took the princes and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel. ⁸ When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the princes.”

Then Jehu ordered, “Put them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.”

⁹ The next morning Jehu went out. He stood before all the people and said, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these? ¹⁰ Know, then, that not a word the Lord has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail. The Lord has done what he announced through his servant Elijah.” ¹¹ So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his chief men, his close friends and his priests, leaving him no survivor.

¹² Jehu then set out and went toward Samaria. At Beth Eked of the Shepherds, ¹³ he met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, “Who are you?”

They said, “We are relatives of Ahaziah, and we have come down to greet the families of the king and of the queen mother.”

¹⁴ “Take them alive!” he ordered. So they took them alive and slaughtered them by the well of Beth Eked—forty-two of them. He left no survivor.

¹⁵ After he left there, he came upon Jehonadab son of Rekab, who was on his way to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said, “Are you in accord with me, as I am with you?”

“I am,” Jehonadab answered.

“If so,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.” So he did, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot. ¹⁶ Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.” Then he had him ride along in his chariot.

¹⁷ When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed all who were left there of Ahab’s family; he destroyed them, according to the word of the Lord spoken to Elijah.

Servants of Baal Killed

¹⁸ Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. ¹⁹ Now summon all the prophets of Baal, all his servants and all his priests. See that no one is missing, because I am going to hold a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who fails to come will no longer live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.

²⁰ Jehu said, “Call an assembly in honor of Baal.” So they proclaimed it. ²¹ Then he sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one stayed away. They crowded into the temple of Baal until it was full from one end to the other. ²² And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Bring robes for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out robes for them.

²³ Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rekab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Look around and see that no one who serves the Lord is here with you—only servants of Baal.” ²⁴ So they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had posted eighty men outside with this warning: “If one of you lets any of the men I am placing in your hands escape, it will be your life for his life.”

²⁵ As soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and officers: “Go in and kill them; let no one escape.” So they cut them down with the sword. The guards and officers threw the bodies out and then entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal. ²⁶ They brought the sacred stone out of the temple of Baal and burned it. ²⁷ They demolished the sacred stone of Baal and tore down the temple of Baal, and people have used it for a latrine to this day.

²⁸ So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel. ²⁹ However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.

³⁰ The Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” ³¹ Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.

³² In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory ³³ east of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh), from Aroer by the Arnon Gorge through Gilead to Bashan.

³⁴ As for the other events of Jehu’s reign, all he did, and all his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

³⁵ Jehu rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son succeeded him as king. ³⁶ The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

In a desperate effort to “go and make disciples” without consulting God first; some church leaders will use the world’s methods of marketing and commercialism to bring people to their buildings.  They zealously count “bodies in the seats” more than the numbers of lives changed as disciples of Jesus as their measure of success.  In fact, we  hear numbers more than God’s Word from the platform along with the consistent plea to come to the next big thing so that the numbers of people will increase for success!

Years ago, I attended and served a church like that for a while and was even invited to sit on the staff. What I saw and heard behind the platform in meetings broke my heart.  My love and zeal for the Lord was used more for a way to build attendance with less talk and funds going to “making disciples.” There’s more but you get the picture.  What I thought were leaders who loved Jesus first and wanted others to love Jesus, too was merely a show to proclaim their own “goodness” to build their popularity. People were used, spiritually abused, and cast aside when they did not produce the outcome wished for in the count. I stayed to tell people the truth of who God is, why Jesus came, while working under a “yoke” of stress. I thought of all the stressed but zealous disciples who did exactly as Jesus told them to be and do—“go and make disciples, baptizing them in My Name, and teaching them to obey all I have commanded…” and I praised God for the time on task I had to show people the love of God through Jesus. I have no regrets.

When we keep it simple and do exactly what God says, we will always have opposition. Count on it! Our enemy does not want us to succeed in going and making disciples! But we must not fall for his tricks! Sometimes we think we must be like the marketing, manipulative world, telling people what they want to hear so they will come to our church; but that’s just falling for the Deceiver himself, who leads us into thinking that way.  Follow The Way to God who is Jesus His Son who reconciles us to God!

Enthusiastically love others like He loves us, faithfully and without conditions for worth but see all people as His created.  It is God at work bringing people to find Him where He is! Jesus, Word made flesh, drew multitudes of people because He was their hope of salvation in an oppressive world without hope!  Yes, Jesus is our Hope! Hope of eternal life, hope that tomorrow might be troublesome but knowing God is with us always with a plan and purpose!  Hope is the One who saved us and set us free from all our sins.  Jesus is Hope. Jesus is the Way, Truth, and the Life we so desperately seek.

“Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. This deceit got the job done to rid the world of the worship of Baal and detestable sins committed as a result. Jehu cleaned up the mess others left behind.  However, Jehu’s heart for God was not pure. Jehu did God’s work his way and followed his own heart when it came to living his life as king. God said it Himself; “Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.”

It seems it was Jehu who served God only “a little,” just enough to leave no survivors of Baal but with a divided, deceiving heart who still worshiped golden calves!  God sees our hearts and knows our intentions.  Nothing is hidden from God. Why do we think we can hide our real intentions for service in His church? “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 But, remember, we have a Savior and Lord to lead us out of sin and to a new way to live God’s way!  Go to Jesus now!

Join me as we pray the prayer of David;

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,  when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.

If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.       

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139

To God, In Jesus Name, Amen

Though evil kings reign; what God says will happen through his prophets—happens!  Not matter what is occurring in our world today, what God still says about keeping our hearts fixed on Him still stands as truth.  Are we for God and all He says to be Truth or not? There are only two choices.  God or the Enemy.  God is most assuredly for, not against, those whose hearts are fully committed and surrendered to Him and His will.  Committed hearts seek God, consult Him to know His will then trust and obey what He says no matter what is happening around them. Jehu has become that person who knows what God said through the prophet of Elijah and now Elisha. Jehu is standing up for the cause of God and obeying what has been commanded for him to do—rid God’s people of evil kings.

The Hit and Run—

It is a bit amusing for a prophet to declare God’s message with oil in hand to anoint the next king of Israel and then run from the room as fast as he can!  But that’s what God told him to do as He declared Jehu as the next chosen king.  What God says—happens! 

Dressed to Kill—

It is downright odd to us, but in character for Jezebel to get “dressed to kill” as she applied her makeup and did her hair just before being tossed off the balcony by her own servants!  But, this is what mattered to her—to look good at all costs which showed the shallowness of her heart!  Years earlier, God had proclaimed the demise of Jezebel who was so full of evil that her behavior was notorious down through the ages! Her name is still used today to call a person out for being evil!  “You, Jezebel!”  Everyone knows what they mean.  Her name is synonymous with disgusting evil practices just as Judas is synonymous with betrayal.  These are two names to avoid when naming your children!

What God says, happens.  It would wise to trust and obey Him alone!

2 Kings 9

Jehu Anointed King of Israel

The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take this flask of olive oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead. ² When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room. ³ Then take the flask and pour the oil on his head and declare, ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run; don’t delay!”

⁴ So the young prophet went to Ramoth Gilead. ⁵ When he arrived, he found the army officers sitting together. “I have a message for you, commander,” he said.

“For which of us?” asked Jehu.

“For you, commander,” he replied.

⁶ Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil on Jehu’s head and declared, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anoint you king over the Lord’s people Israel. ⁷ You are to destroy the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the Lord’s servants shed by Jezebel. ⁸ The whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free. ⁹ I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah. ¹⁰ As for Jezebel, dogs will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and no one will bury her.’” Then he opened the door and ran.

¹¹ When Jehu went out to his fellow officers, one of them asked him, “Is everything all right? Why did this maniac come to you?”

“You know the man and the sort of things he says,” Jehu replied.

¹² “That’s not true!” they said. “Tell us.”

Jehu said, “Here is what he told me: ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.’”

¹³ They quickly took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!”

Jehu Kills Joram and Ahaziah

¹⁴ So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth Gilead against Hazael king of Aram, ¹⁵ but King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him in the battle with Hazael king of Aram.) Jehu said, “If you desire to make me king, don’t let anyone slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel.” ¹⁶ Then he got into his chariot and rode to Jezreel, because Joram was resting there and Ahaziah king of Judah had gone down to see him.

¹⁷ When the lookout standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu’s troops approaching, he called out, “I see some troops coming.”

“Get a horseman,” Joram ordered. “Send him to meet them and ask, ‘Do you come in peace?’”

¹⁸ The horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Do you come in peace?’”

“What do you have to do with peace?” Jehu replied. “Fall in behind me.”

The lookout reported, “The messenger has reached them, but he isn’t coming back.”

¹⁹ So the king sent out a second horseman. When he came to them he said, “This is what the king says: ‘Do you come in peace?’”

Jehu replied, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.”

²⁰ The lookout reported, “He has reached them, but he isn’t coming back either. The driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi—he drives like a maniac.”

²¹ “Hitch up my chariot,” Joram ordered. And when it was hitched up, Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah rode out, each in his own chariot, to meet Jehu. They met him at the plot of ground that had belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. ²² When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?”

“How can there be peace,” Jehu replied, “as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?”

²³ Joram turned about and fled, calling out to Ahaziah, “Treachery, Ahaziah!”

²⁴ Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart and he slumped down in his chariot. ²⁵ Jehu said to Bidkar, his chariot officer, “Pick him up and throw him on the field that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember how you and I were riding together in chariots behind Ahab his father when the Lord spoke this prophecy against him: ²⁶ ‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, declares the Lord, and I will surely make you pay for it on this plot of ground, declares the Lord.’ Now then, pick him up and throw him on that plot, in accordance with the word of the Lord.”

²⁷ When Ahaziah king of Judah saw what had happened, he fled up the road to Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him, shouting, “Kill him too!” They wounded him in his chariot on the way up to Gur near Ibleam, but he escaped to Megiddo and died there. ²⁸ His servants took him by chariot to Jerusalem and buried him with his ancestors in his tomb in the City of David. ²⁹ (In the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab, Ahaziah had become king of Judah.)

Jezebel—Dressed to be Killed! 

³⁰ Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she put on eye makeup, arranged her hair, and looked out of a window. ³¹ As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, “Have you come in peace, you Zimri, you murderer of your master?”

³² He looked up at the window and called out, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. ³³ “Throw her down!” Jehu said. So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot.

³⁴ Jehu went in and ate and drank. “Take care of that cursed woman,” he said, “and bury her, for she was a king’s daughter.” ³⁵ But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing except her skull, her feet and her hands. ³⁶ They went back and told Jehu, who said, “This is the word of the Lord that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs will devour Jezebel’s flesh.   ³⁷ Jezebel’s body will be like dung on the ground in the plot at Jezreel, so that no one will be able to say, ‘This is Jezebel.’”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Where we might think of sin as slipups or missteps, God views sin as a godless attitude that leads to godless actions. “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way” (Isaiah 53:6).  As each king of the divided kingdom of Israel and Judah “followed their hearts” instead of the heart of God; chaos ensues because of satisfying their own selfish desires.  God’s people are caught in the crossfire of evil kings and their queens.  God chooses Jehu to do what He says for what God says, happens. Jehu had remembered the words of the Lord through the prophet Elijah!

Max Lucado writes this perspective from this passage which gives us hope and encouragement to consistently seek the heart of God, turn our hearts toward God and trust God no matter what—

“The sinful mind dismisses God. His counsel goes unconsulted. His opinion, unsolicited. His plan, unconsidered. The sin infected grant God the same respect middle schoolers give a substitute teacher—acknowledged, but not taken seriously.

The lack of God-centeredness leads to self-centeredness. Sin celebrates its middle letter—sin. It proclaims, “It’s your life, right? Pump your body with drugs, your mind with greed, your nights with pleasure.” The godless lead a me-dominated, childish life, a life of “doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it” (Ephesians 2:3 MSG).

God says to love. I choose to hate.

God instructs, “Forgive.” I opt to get even.

God calls for self-control. I promote self-indulgence.

Sin, for a season, quenches thirst. But so does salt water. Given time, the thirst returns, more demanding and demanding more than ever. “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed” (Ephesians 4:19).

We pay a high price for such self-obsession. “God isn’t pleased at being ignored” (Romans 8:8 MSG).

Are you troubled by the evil that surrounds you? Leaders or managers who don’t honor God? The suffering of the innocent? The influence of sin? All of these can weigh you down and make you doubt God’s ability to intervene. Remember: God has perfect timing. He has a plan to judge and punish evil. Bring your discouragement to him and rely on his victory.” –Lucado, The Encouraging Word Bible

No matter what is happening in our world today; God has not given up His authority over the world and its inhabitants. God will intervene as He sees fits in His timing. I read the end of the book—God wins. Jesus already gave us the victory over death. 

Believe, repent, trust, and obey! 

There’s just no other way to be at peace with the King of kings and Lord of lords forever!

Lord,

Thank you for your message that restores our joy and peace this morning. Thank you for being with us always and knowing all that we need and providing it. Thank you for cleansing our hearts, renewing our minds, refreshing our souls, and restoring the joy of you in us and us in you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:13-15

Good versus Evil

Who doesn’t love seeing our money make more money as we save or invest our assets wisely. It takes time, forethought, and wisdom to do; but if we wait long enough the interest or the investment will grow and mature. Most often, there is a payoff at the end.  We know that funds invested in a disciplined and wise manner will give us income later when we need it most to sustain our lives.  Waiting is key.

There is another way to invest our lives that aggressively leads to the implosion of our lives.  We want it and we want it now is living life that feeds our daily desires. The Enemy of God knows our nature to sin well.  He tempts us daily with shiny objects of affection that lead us away from the wisdom and desires of God.  God wants His best for us. Evil wants merely to distract, deceive, and ultimate destroy us.  God gives life. Evil leads to death.  Both are eternal and forever.  Who do we choose then?

Sin gives birth to death—it always has and always will. Hiding it does not get rid of it.  Glossing over it with comparing our sin with other sinners thinking “our sin is not as bad as their sin” does not remove it or stop its growth.  Sin compounds with our interest in it.  Sin leads to more sin as we give in to the desires of our hearts. Speaking of our hearts, stop believing the notorious lie of the enemy who says, “just follow your heart” and all will be well. It won’t!  We cannot trust our hearts!  God relayed this message of Truth to Jeremiah, His prophet who warned God’s people what their sins would lead to—certain death.

“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out.
But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind.
I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things.
I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be.” Jeremiah 17:9-10 MSG

Sin compounds with interest with kings who “did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” With Jehoshaphat as a father, Jehoram had a good example to follow. When he became king, however, he foolishly chose to marry the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (probably as a political alliance). This daughter, Athaliah, brought evil practices and the need for God’s judgment to the southern kingdom.

If we purposely ignore God’s desire for us, we will find ourselves candidates for his discipline.  God disciplines those He loves.  Hold that thought forever along with God’s blessed assurance; “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

God is our hope and future. Sin leads only to death.

2 Kings 8

The Shunammite’s Land Restored

Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the Lord has decreed a famine in the land that will last seven years.” ² The woman proceeded to do as the man of God said. She and her family went away and stayed in the land of the Philistines seven years.

³ At the end of the seven years she came back from the land of the Philistines and went to appeal to the king for her house and land. ⁴ The king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, and had said, “Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done.” ⁵ Just as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to appeal to the king for her house and land.

Gehazi said, “This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” ⁶ The king asked the woman about it, and she told him.

Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, “Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.”

Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad

⁷ Elisha went to Damascus, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram was ill. When the king was told, “The man of God has come all the way up here,” ⁸ he said to Hazael, “Take a gift with you and go to meet the man of God. Consult the Lord through him; ask him, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”

⁹ Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him as a gift forty camel-loads of all the finest wares of Damascus. He went in and stood before him, and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”

¹⁰ Elisha answered, “Go and say to him, ‘You will certainly recover.’ Nevertheless, the Lord has revealed to me that he will in fact die.” ¹¹ He stared at him with a fixed gaze until Hazael was embarrassed. Then the man of God began to weep.

¹² “Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael.

“Because I know the harm you will do to the Israelites,” he answered. “You will set fire to their fortified places, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little children to the ground, and rip open their pregnant women.”

¹³ Hazael said, “How could your servant, a mere dog, accomplish such a feat?”

“The Lord has shown me that you will become king of Aram,” answered Elisha.

¹⁴ Then Hazael left Elisha and returned to his master. When Ben-Hadad asked, “What did Elisha say to you?” Hazael replied, “He told me that you would certainly recover.” ¹⁵ But the next day he took a thick cloth, soaked it in water and spread it over the king’s face, so that he died. Then Hazael succeeded him as king.

Jehoram King of Judah

¹⁶ In the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat began his reign as king of Judah. ¹⁷ He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. ¹⁸ He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab.He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, for the sake of his servant David, the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah. He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever.

²⁰ In the time of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against Judah and set up its own king. ²¹ So Jehoram went to Zair with all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night; his army, however, fled back home. ²² To this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah. Libnah revolted at the same time.

²³ As for the other events of Jehoram’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? ²⁴ Jehoram rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Ahaziah his son succeeded him as king.

Ahaziah King of Judah

²⁵ In the twelfth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. ²⁶ Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. ²⁷ He followed the ways of the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done, for he was related by marriage to Ahab’s family.

²⁸ Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram; ²⁹ so King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramoth in his battle with Hazael king of Aram.

Then Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to see Joram son of Ahab, because he had been wounded.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God knows the desires of our hearts; but gives us exactly what we need as His best for us.  We may not agree with God at the time; because the desires of our sinful nature and the temptations of evil are great.  But remember, evil’s power is limited.  God is great and His power available to us is greater still. The same power from God who resurrected Jesus from death to life three days later is available to all who believe in Jesus. 

This is the “secret” sauce of living a life with power that overcomes evil! (Colossians 1;27) Christ lives in all who believe and call on His Name for help to overcome all temptations to sin!  We will always be tempted by sin until Jesus comes back to take us to our forever home.  All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 We will fall at times because we are not perfect.  However, we are perfectly forgiven!  Not only that, God forgives all repented sins in the Name of Jesus immediately and completely—to be remembered no more!  There is no one like our God!  It is Jesus who cleanses us, clothes us in righteousness, making us presentable to God, the Father! 

John, beloved disciple of Jesus, writes;

“My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world. These people belong to the Christ-denying world. They talk the world’s language and the world eats it up. But we come from God and belong to God. Anyone who knows God understands us and listens. The person who has nothing to do with God will, of course, not listen to us. This is another test for telling the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of deception. 1 John 4:4-6 MSG

Replace sin with God’s perfect will!  Surrender is our greatest investment!

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2

When we fully surrender our lives daily to our all-knowing, all powerful, sovereign God as an offering to Him; we will know God more and His desires for us. Follow, trust, believe God—not our hearts!  Our goal is the know and follow the heart of God!

Lord,

Some kings did what you asked for the good of your people and for your glory while other kings did not.  We see the difference in walking with You versus walking with evil. Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls with your new mercies for today, and restore the joy of your salvation at work within us.  We need your power to overcome. Thank you, thank you, thank you!  I’m yours and I’m listening.

In Jesus Name, Amen