ONE, TWO, THREE, EYES ON ME!

Posted on December 9, 2025 by randscallawayffm

“One, two, three, eyes on me!” is the signal for many classrooms filled with noisy little ones to stop what they are doing immediately and put their eyes on the Teacher for the next direction with focused attention.  As a public school teacher, this method worked with first graders who were always ready to see what I was going to do next with them because sometimes I would surprise them! 

By planned and organized design; our classroom was a bevy of activity as each table held a different skill with specific tasks to complete. At the sound of a bell; they would rotate through each center until they had accomplished each task by then end of the morning. There is good noise and bad noise.  Good noise is seeing everyone involved in the task to accomplish the goal at each table or center.  Bad noise is when one or two students go rogue and launch a takeover for power and control causing learning to cease. 

The Teacher sees what is happening quickly with a pre thought out plan to step in to regain control of the situation with redirection and focus.  Hence, “One, two, three, eyes on me!”  For this signal for focus to work the teacher must train students of this signal for attention on the first day of school so that when the classroom of individuals falls to power struggles, order can be reestablished quickly.  The battle for control does not belong to the students. The battle for order and control belongs to the Teacher.  The Teacher knows the plan and has the authority to execute the plan for learning and growing according to the students’ abilities.

God knows and has a plan for His people.  Always.  Our next passage is quoted often but here is the whole story behind, “The battle belongs to the Lord.”

2 Chronicles 20

Jehoshaphat Defeats Moab and Ammon

After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.

2 Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom] from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon 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.

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard 6 and said:

“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 7 Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’

10 “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.

14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.

15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”

18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 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. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

24 When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. 25 So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day.

27 Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and trumpets.

29 The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.

The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign

31 So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 32 He followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. 33 The high places, however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.

34 The other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.

35 Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, whose ways were wicked. 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.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? In the classroom of life, the Master Teacher is indeed in control and has not given up His authority.  Even when we don’t feel it or see it—God has everything under control.

Fear is the Enemy. When the chaos of life seems to be gaining control overs us with more obstacles blocking the path we know to be right; we wonder who is in charge here?  Sometimes I feel like I’m in a Mario Brothers video game; just trying to get from point A to point B for the win!

Here’s what I’m learning:  If we do not look up with focused eyes on the Teacher, fear of the unknown, a tool of the Enemy, can overcome our faith. This fear if left unchecked, can steadily rise up within us, taking over all our senses.  Fear leads to knee-jerk reactions without the wisdom of our Teacher. Fear leads to foolhardy decision making. Fear shades our most beloved relationships.  Fear can cause us to join the chaos or run from it. Either choice removes our view of the eyes of the Teacher who brings all things under control for our good and His glory!  We must trust the Teacher who has the plan with purpose for each one of us and loved us enough to die for our sins and redeem us for life! 

Jesus fought and won the battle over fear all because of the Love of God. This Love is God who drives out all fear lives within us who believe!  The Bible tells me so!  “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:16-19

“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”  This is exactly what we should do in every battle for all battles from the enemy who seeks to distract and deceive us by presenting skirmishes meant to defeat us and destroy our faith truly belong to the Lord who has already won!  We must look up for the foolishness and put our eyes on Jesus, our Advocate before the Father, who has already won the war! 

Eyes on the situation only serves to defeat us before we can even get a foothold to stand firm in our faith. Eyes on our Teacher lifts our thinking closer to where He is for His thoughts are higher, much higher than ours!  We look into the eyes of our Beloved Teacher to gain knowledge from His wisdom and confidence from His power!  Go with the Champion who has already won!  Go with Jesus, the Master Teacher.

Jehoshaphat led the nation to humbly seek God’s help and wisdom, and God promised that he would fight the battle for them.  Dear friends, God is still in the business of fighting His people’s battles. Instead of being afraid, seek God first; then  trust Him to protect and help us when we need him most. God never fails! God is able. There is nothing that is impossible with God. He delivers in His time for our good in ways that His glory can be seen. Why? So that others will know who He is!

Seriously then, what can anyone do to us? You know the answers. Lie to us. Deceive and betray us. Injure and slander us. Terrorize and bully us. But God says in His Word that is reliable Truth that HE is with us always.  Scripture asks a different question. If the Lord is your helper, what can anyone do to you?

Our battles with the enemy belong to the Lord.  All of them.

“The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms…” Fear shifted from God’s People back to their enemies! Smiling, because that’s how God works!  Don’t you love this about God? 

AND…did you notice that in the heat of the battle; God’s people worshiped Him with songs and instruments of praise? Wow, this is the holy confidence in the Lord that that is given to us when our eyes look to Him in times of chaos!  With God all things are possible.  There is no one like our God!

“One, two, three, eyes on Me,” I hear my Teacher saying this morning. How about you?

Lord,

Thank you for lessons of focused attention that fills me with peace, joy, confidence and more love that enriches my humble walk with you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen

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HERE COME THE JUDGES!      

Posted on December 8, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Who is a judge is and what does a judge do?

Defined by Webster:  A judge is a public official appointed to decide cases in a court of law.  A judge is the final word in a dispute between two opposing parties. A judge hears from each party then forms an opinion with a conclusion based on the Law with contradicting the Law. A jury of the Judges are “honored” with respect as they represent and abide by The Law.

The Biblical view of a judge is to discern right from wrong, a necessary Christian believers’ responsibility, using God’s Word as The Law. Hypocrisy, “do what I say but not what I do”, with self-righteous thinking was forbidden by Jesus. The Bible calls for righteous judgment, which involves examining one’s own faults first (the “log in your eye”) before gently and lovingly confronting others’ actions, using God’s Word as the standard, not our own opinion of the Word then leaving the final word to God who is the One and Only final Judge of humanity. Jesus is Truth.  He is our standard and example for walking humbly with our God.  Jesus is our Advocate. He is the only Way to a relationship with God who is our final judge and loving Father.

God sees and knows all that is in our hearts, minds, and souls.  Jesus is the Word made flesh who also knew because He was also God. We have the power to discern right from wrong because of God’s Holy Spirit who guides us to all that is true and right!  Final summation:  With God, we cannot fail.  Without God, living on our own, we really don’t have a clue or the motivation to “get it right” before God who has the final word.

Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, living in Jerusalem got rid of idols in his kingdom because his heart was “set on seeking God.”  He also knew that he had sinned against God as he helped the wicked to fight a war, as reprimand the prophet of God. Humans sin. Their sin cause division, heartache, and differences of opinion.  So, the king decided to appoint judges—men with integrity, who are respected with honor among God’s People. They are backed by the Levites who know The Law.

2 Chronicles 19

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 on 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.”

Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges

4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 5 He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. 6 He told them, “Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. 7 Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”

8 In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests and heads of Israelite families to administer the law of the Lord and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem. 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 people who live in the cities—whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations—you are to warn them not to sin against the Lord; otherwise his wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin.

11 “Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter concerning the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will be over you in any matter concerning the king, and the Levites will serve as officials before you. Act with courage, and may the Lord be with those who do well.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

WE LEARN that not only had Jehoshaphat experienced an obvious close call in the battle with the Arameans during which Ahab was killed, he also had a message of chastisement from the Lord waiting for him when he arrived back home.

Jehu confronted the king with a warning and a word of encouragement. Jehoshaphat was seriously in error when he sided with the wrong people; but he had also pleased God by his genuine efforts to revive the worship of God and only God in Judah.  God knew his heart was committed to him still so God continued to help him as king.

Notice how the king took God’s discipline to heart as he ruled the people. Jehoshaphat not only continued his efforts at spiritual reform, (teaching them to obey The Law of God) but he also appointed judges throughout the land with strict instructions:

“You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord. In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities—whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees, or regulations—you are to warn them not to sin against the Lord; otherwise, God’s wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin.”

King Jehoshaphat was speaking from experience!

AND…we learn, once again, that God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation does not contradict itself!  God’s Word is proven Truth by God’s Word!  For example, we find in the New Testament that church missionary Paul and committed follower James, inspired by God, taught the same message! 

“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”—Paul, 1 Timothy 4:16

“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.” –James 3:1-2

WE RESPOND with thanksgiving to God’s Word that not only teaches us “we should” but with “how to” behave in ways that are pleasing to God.  Look at this!  Here is what God requires in our response to Him as spoken by His prophet Micah;

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Micah knew then that sacrifices were outward expressions of inner faith and trust. What God desired most of all was for Israel to relate to him in a heartfelt, personal way—not just in some superficial, ritualistic fashion.

Jesus, came to earth to seek and to save the lost who no longer had “a heartfelt, personal” relationship with God—God, the Father, who sent His Son to save all who would believe! Jesus confronted the religious about their hearts who loved themselves and their self-created power more than God and His People.  “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. Everything they do is for show.” Mattew 23:2-5 (Read the whole chapter for the full story as Jesus stands firm on Truth, speaking what God told Him to say!

In this season, all the symbols of Jesus birth are all around us and religious traditions are played out in front of us…and I wonder…what or who are we truly trusting to save us from our sins? Is it really the precious blood of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice alone? Or are we working hard, needlessly to add to the beauty and awe of Him with mere symbols, traditions, or religious practices?

What God wants is a personal relationship; to know Him, love Him back, to love others like He loves us, with all our hearts, minds, and souls!  God sees and knows our hearts. Nothing is hidden from God. He knows where He is not welcomed but He loves us still—enough to wait until His created come to our senses with knowledge of Him—with hearts’ desires to know Him more—not to only know of Him.

In every season of life, we must make sure we are firmly connected to God through Jesus by faith, love, and trust. Symbols, ceremonies, and observances have their place; “do this in remembrance of Me,” says Jesus.  But they do not replace Jesus as the way to God! Do not allow our worship of symbols, places, and traditions to replace our worship of God alone! All these things are merely to remind us to trust in Christ alone for our salvation. Obeying God is an expression of our love for Him who sent His One and Only Son to save us.

Want to hear from God daily? (And who in their “right” mind doesn’t?)  God’s Word teaches us how to “watch our lives and our doctrine (what we believe) closely.”

Develop a daily discipline of going to God first each day.  The goal is to develop and nurture a wonderful, eternal relationship with our Loving Father.  After a while, I find that He begins speaking to my heart before I get that first cup of coffee to chat with Him! What a blessing it is to rise up each morning and talk with Him before beginning my chores.  His Holy Spirit living in us helps us!  Listen to Him! 

God also speaks directly to us through His Word! See Romans 12:1-2 concerning  this daily habit that includes surrender that leads to beautiful transformation!

“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

God/Jesus/Holy Spirit changes everything! Since God is strong, we will be strong. Since God is able, we will be able. Since God has no limits, we have no limits. The Psalmist writes and sings; “The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 118:6).  Join me in singing the Song of Our Redeemer!

God is able! Trust Him!

Lord,

What peace you give us today in these words of kings learning to walk with you, from prophets who speak for you to apostles and committed disciples who are committed to you!  I’m yours and I’m listening for I am your servant. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen

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THE ONE WHO LISTENS AND SPEAKS TRUTH

Posted on December 6, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Our world has many preachers and teachers who claim to speak for God. How can we know among the many who speak the Word of God guided by His Holy Spirit?  First we seek His Holy Spirit for ourselves and ask God for wisdom and discernment.  Then we read God’s Word for ourselves to “factcheck” what we are hearing.  God answers prayers from those who seek Truth whose hearts are fully committed to Him.  In fact, God is looking for those hearts even today so that we might bless and support them in our work, commanded by Jesus, “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20

Preachers and teachers are human like all of us. But, because of they are called, chosen, ordained, and equipped by God to lead others to Him; their commitment to God is judged more closely as they do the work of Jesus among God’s created. The top priority is to imitate Jesus with humbled surrender to God (Philippians 2) while seeking to think, say, and do what the Father tells them. Pastors, preachers, teachers, and others ordained in ministry to lead others to Christ learn to serve; not to be served like our Master Teacher demonstrated while He walked the earth as the Son of Man/Son of God.  Look for the signs of Truth.

Jesus, our Perfect Example to live our lives for He was without sin, reminded the people often who God was and who He was in relationship to God.  Throngs of people came to listen and couldn’t get enough of the Truth he declared and demonstrated with His own life.  People of all nations listened eagerly to every word with awe and wonder. They exclaimed; “we have never heard teaching like his before!”  Jesus then would tell all within listening distance, including other skeptical religious leaders lurking in the shadows; “For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”—Jesus, John 12:49-50

How do we know for sure when preaching prophets and teachers are telling God’s Truth?  It’s sometimes difficult, but not impossible with God who leads those who seek Him first to discern who is led by His Holy Spirit.

The King of Israel has 400 prophets hired to tell him want he wants to hear at his beckoned call.  The King of Judah wants to hear Truth no matter what—for it is a matter of life or death!  Read on…  

2 Chronicles 18

Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab

Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage. 2 Some years later he went down to see Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him and urged him to attack Ramoth Gilead. 3 Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?”

Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.” 4 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the Lord.”

5 So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?”

“Go,” they answered, “for God will give it into the king’s hand.”

6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?”

7 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

“The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.

8 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”

9 Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. 10 Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns, and he declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’”

11 All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”

12 The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.”

13 But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what my God says.”

14 When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?”

“Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for they will be given into your hand.”

15 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”

16 Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’”

17 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?”

18 Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing on his right and on his left. 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 deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.

“‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’

22 “So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster for you.”

23 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. “Which way did the spirit from the Lord go when he went from me to speak to you?” he asked.

24 Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.”

25 The king of Israel then ordered, “Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son, 26 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.’”

27 Micaiah declared, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Mark my words, all you people!”

Ahab Killed at Ramoth Gilead

28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

30 Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.” 31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, “This is the king of Israel.” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him, 32 for when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they stopped pursuing him.

33 But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the breastplate and the scale armor. The king told the chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” 34 All day long the battle raged, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND TODAY?

We learn that compromise creates distance from God who is Truth.  King Jehoshaphat’s son was married to Ahab’s daughter, so Jehoshaphat had to be friendly toward Ahab and help him fight his battles. He was disobeying the Lord when he took this step, but one compromise often leads to another as we will find out later.

Four hundred against One. All the court prophets were hired, not chosen by God, and paid to agree with King Ahab.  They knew who paid their bills so they told him what he wanted to hear—oh surely, you will win the war with the enemy.  But Jehoshaphat, who was not completely lost stood firmly to inquire of one who would tell them the truth!  He was still wise enough to ask Ahab for some word from God. They had to go find one!  King Ahab knew him but never liked what he had to say. But to save face with King Jehoshaphat, he sent for his enemy Micaiah.

Micaiah was the one who told the Truth!  The Lord gave Micaiah two visions, both of which announced judgment to King Ahab. First he saw Israel wandering hopelessly, like “sheep without a shepherd, obviously a description of a nation without a leader” (Num. 27:15–22). Jesus used this same image to depict the Jewish people without spiritual direction (Matthew 9:36). When words of a prophet are spoken with the perimeters of God’s Word, Truth is uncovered. Ahab got the message: he would be killed in the battle.

Our hearts reflect our character and will be displayed in our behaviors.  Warren Wiersbe comments;

“A lying spirit would give Ahab false confidence, so he would enter the battle. That the God of truth should allow a lying spirit to accomplish His work is a puzzle to some people, but this is no different from God permitting Satan to attack Job (Job 1–2) or Judas to betray Jesus (John 13:21–30). God deals with people on the basis of their character: “With the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd” (Ps. 18:26). Ahab was fighting against God, and like any good boxer or wrestler, the Lord anticipated his moves and countered with the right response. Ahab was a consummate liar, and God dealt with him according to his character.”  Wiersbe Study Bible

Finally, imagine the pressure building in the One prophet who told the Truth—directly from God through his lips!  When summoned, the messenger even warned him to speak what pleased the king for his life depended on it.  We find that often in God’s Word, the minority represents God’s will, and Micaiah was determined to be faithful, not popular.

Centuries later, Paul will warn the church buil on Jesus to watch for false prophets!  “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” 2 Timothy 4:3

Steps to take in our pursuit of Truth:

  1. Seek God. Offer ourselves to Him as an offering to Him. (Romans 12:1-2)
  2. Surrender to His will. Seek His purpose for us. Trust and obey what He says.
  3. Ask for discernment, powered by His Holy Spirit who guides us to Truth.
  4. Discern words spoken by preachers and teachers by comparing their message to God’s Word with the help of the Holy Spirit. This requires being in God’s Word daily while listening to God speak personally to us with heart for Truth.  Warning: This is not a an exercise in judgement of how words were spoken but of the Truth of the words delivered.
  5. Guard and evaluate our hearts often, asking God to remove all that does not belong.  Our hearts are the center from which our behaviors come.  “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23
  6. Imitate Jesus and seek His heart who is Truth.  Jesus taught us that a person’s heart—our inner self, thoughts, and will—reflects our true character and the depth of our faith.  Actions follow from the heart through our speech and behavior “out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45) and “As water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the person” (Proverbs 27:19).
  7. Allow God’s Holy Spirit to stir our hearts with correction—a holy, loving discipline from God. “My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children.” Hebrews 12:6

Here’s your sign;

If the pastor of your church does not stir your heart to change he/she might be shading the truth to gain more popularity. 

If the message does not cause you evaluate  your heart, mind, and soul’s thinking and behaving with a response of repentance, praise, and thanksgiving to God, the words might be just to appease us.

God is indeed good, but if that is all that is spoken to make us “feel good”; then we are missing out on learning the fullness of God and all His ways!  God created us “in his own image” with these requirements: “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

If repentance is not offered and the teachings of Jesus are not taught openly and lovingly as The Only Way to God in relationship through Jesus, along with the truth of how to walk humbly with God; then we are merely attending a club that does not affect society but is a place of infection by society.

I know this is probably not what you want to hear but I believe—wholeheartedly! And I am resolved to follow Jesus as Lord with all my heart, mind, and soul from a heart filled with love for Him.  It’s is costly but oh so worth it all! 

Eternal Life or death is a choice.  Choose wisely who you listen to and learn from and follow.

Lord,

Thank you for the flood of thoughts from Your word to my heart this morning. Help me to meditate on it and be transformed by Truth.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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WHEN IN DOUBT—DON’T!       

Posted on December 5, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Even if we pray, asking God for His will and wisdom over a particular situation or challenge but we are not getting the answer at the moment that seems right—pause.  If we seek sage words from our advisors and ask for the opinions of our mentors whom we have trusted in the past but we are still not sure if the timing is right or the actions to be taken pleasing to the Lord; be still. When in doubt—don’t move ahead until God says.  We all know that we should not rely on our feelings to explain and deal with life; but this instinctive pause within us goes much deeper. It’s called discernment.  Holy discernment is God’s gift of His Holy Spirit who guides us to Truth.  This gift of discernment hovers over those whose hearts are completely committed to God.

“He (God) says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

We should pause and read the entire psalm!  The Psalmist is declaring that no matter what was happening around him, God was his refuge and strength, “an ever-present help in time of trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) He realizes that God was, is and always will be sovereign, perfectly holy, and forever in authority over all His creation.  “Come see what the Lord has done…” (Psalm 46:8) reminds us we are safe and secure.  We are assured that He is indeed God. So, we can wait on God timing and perfect will—even in the middle of chaos and opposing views. God is still on his throne.

In our passage today, King Asa has died and his son, Jehoshaphat is now King of Judah.  Jehoshaphat feared and loved God. The new king listens to God and does what He says.  By God’s direction, power, and strength, the king sends out his officials and God’s priests to teach all people The Law of God handed down from Moses.  King Jehoshaphat also remove all idols from all places which please God.  God blessed him with all he needed to do His will for the good of God’s people and for the glory of God!

Later, however, the king foolishly made an alliance with Ahab, the wicked king of Israel. He is in doubt of the King Ahab’s plan to conquer the world around him and seeks a word from the Lord.  Here is part one of Jehoshaphat’s reign.

2 Chronicles 17

Jehoshaphat King of Judah

Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.

3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals 4 but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. 5 The Lord established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. 6 His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.

7 In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah. 8 With them were certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah—and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the Lord; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.

10 The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats.

12 Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah 13 and had large supplies in the towns of Judah. He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem. 14 Their enrollment by families was as follows:

From Judah, commanders of units of 1,000: Adnah the commander, with 300,000 fighting men; 15 next, Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000; 16 next, Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered himself for the service of the Lord, with 200,000.

17 From Benjamin: Eliada, a valiant soldier, with 200,000 men armed with bows and shields; 18 next, Jehozabad, with 180,000 men armed for battle. 19 These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God gave Jehoshaphat all he needed to do God’s will for the people who lived in the kingdom of Judah.  God loves to bless those “do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.” However, he is fodder for the foolishness of evil, and is prone to compromise with those who do evil.

Warren Wiersbe explains the history behind the throne;

“Jehoshaphat was a good king and a godly leader, but he got involved in three costly compromises. The first was the bride compromise when he married his son to a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (18:1; 21:2–7), causing Ahab’s evil influence to affect even the reign of Jehoshaphat’s grandson (22:1–9). This led to the battle compromise, as he got entangled in Ahab’s affairs when Aram attacked Israel (18:2—19:3). This almost cost Jehoshaphat his life (1 Kin. 22:32, 33). The third compromise was the boat compromise, when Jehoshaphat foolishly joined forces with Ahab’s son Ahaziah (2 Chr. 20:35–37; 1 Kings 22:48, 49) and tried to get rich by importing foreign goods. The Lord wrecked his fleet and rebuked him for his sinful alliance.”—Wiersbe Study Bible

When what is happening around us prompts us to compromise our faith in God with actions that do not line up with His Word, who is Truth, to do what others think and do—pause.  And when in doubt—don’t—don’t take another step closer to compromise but run instead to God!  “Be still and know that I AM God,” His Holy Spirit beckons.  Listen to Me, trust Me, even if it means to wait. God knows what He is doing. Know God who reigns over all because He created all!  Build a relationship with God by believing in what Jesus did for us—this is God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will for us!

Stay tuned—there’s more to come! 

Oh Lord,

When we do what is right in your eyes; help us to remain humble in our walk with you. When you bless us Lord, beyond our wildest dreams, help us to remember You as the Giver of all good things.  When life is good and going well, may we know you more for it is not we who provided—only You. 

So, when life is blessed by you may we live in awe of you.  When others seek you through us because of what they see on the outside, may we remain humble with thanksgiving, giving all praise to you.  It is not we who made us—it is You.  With your power working in us, help us to avoid arrogant, pride-filled thinking which leads to compromise with comparisons of our lives to others—a slippery slope. Thank you for your thoughts today that remind me of your power working in us. Thank you for not giving up on us because of your boundless, limitless, relentless love for us!

In Jesus Name, Amen

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LEARNING TO WALK

Posted on December 4, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Watching toddlers in safe environments is interesting and amusing to see. But as parents; it can be frustrating.  At first, toddlers going from crawling and scooting across the floor will pull up to the sofa, and reach out for a hand to help them. They depend on that hand to secure the new way to get around.  They will then take a few steps while gripping the hand of the one they trust the most—mom or dad.  In the days ahead, toddlers will grow from wobbly dependence to more independent determined steps, planting on foot in front of the other. With this accomplishment; they confidently feel as if they have walked on their own forever.  You can see it on their faces!

Then a day comes when they let go of the hand that steadied them altogether. Confident toddlers take their eyes off the parent who encouraged them then hurry to the toy that now entices them.  They pump their hands and try to run to the object of their desire with their loved one warning, “Be careful, you might fall!”  But the warning is ignored because their eyes see what they want and must have—the object and control.  Then they fall.  A surprised look comes over their faces as they tumble to the floor as if to say, “what just happened here, I thought I had this.” Mom, dad, sister, or brother then rushes to their aid to pick them up and get them going and growing again. 

Asa, king of Judah, lived his life “doing good in the eyes of the Lord,” serving God’s people by trusting God’s wisdom in his leadership for most of his reign.  But a day came, when he took his eyes of the Lord and instead aligned himself with an enemy. God had blessed King Asa and His people with “rest” from war for decades because of Asa’s trust in Him in decision making. But when King Asa let go of the grip of God’s wisdom, took his eyes off God to look around to see how he could solve a threat all on his own; he fell.  His uncommitted heart was the cause of his fall.

King Asa had sought the Lord when in danger of warring nations around him who had armies larger and mightier than Judah’s and conquered them with God’s help. God supports those whose hearts are completely His.  But when Asa placed his confidence only in himself his walk with God became as wobbly as a toddler. Asa aligned himself with all the wrong people who did not believe in God and the outcome affected His walk with God greatly.

2 Chronicles 16

Asa’s Last Years

In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.

2 Asa then took the silver and gold out of the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace and sent it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. 3 “Let there be a treaty between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”

4 Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim and all the store cities of Naphtali. 5 When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and abandoned his work. 6 Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using. With them he built up Geba and Mizpah.

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 Cushites 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.”

10 Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people.

11 The events of Asa’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians. 13 Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his ancestors. 14 They buried him in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier covered with spices and various blended perfumes, and they made a huge fire in his honor.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Micah, the prophet declares these words from God;

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Our walk gets as wobbly as a toddler when we let go of the Hand that steadies our walk. God helps us as a parent helps his child to walk.  Pray, asking for God to help us in our walk; God helps by providing spiritual mentors who, by His help, are mastering their humble walk.  No one has arrived in perfection of the walk. However, there will be those who have learned the lessons we might be dealing with today.  We must also look for those who need our help in life stuff we learned yesterday!  Believers, as “join heirs with Christ,” we are brothers and sisters in Christ who come running to lovingly pick each other up after and falling. We guide each other’s hands back into the hand of our Father once more with an even stronger grip! 

This learning to walk humbly with God is not for the faint of heart and comes with a cost—surrender to Jesus.  We must let go of looking around to all the wrong people to help us!  Follow Jesus, the Master of the Walk! Walking humbly was taught and demonstrated perfectly by the One who saved us from our sins!  “Imitate Christ” Paul passionately and urgently writes;

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus proclaimed, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

Jesus demonstratedwalking humbly with God the night before the cross;

“It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”—Jesus, John 13:1-17

Jesus is the God who washes dirty feet—even the feet of His betrayer, Judas!  Jesus then says— “do what I do.”  It wasn’t about the feet or the dirty water; it was about bending down to serve each other with His love deeply embedded in our hearts.

We serve from knowing God’s love resulting in more love for each other.

Jesus said the first and greatest commandment is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37 The second is like it—love each other, later adding, as I have loved you.

Our passage today says that God is looking for the committed who love and trust Him! For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. God is looking for those who seek Him with a desire to walk humbly with Him!  God stands ready to bless, protect, and provide!

Asa’s fundamental problem was not Judah’s lack of defenses but the king’s lack of faith. Unlike David, whose heart had been sincere before the Lord; Asa’s heart was divided—one day trusting God and the next day trusting in the arm of flesh. A perfect heart isn’t a sinless heart but a heart wholly yielded to the Lord and fully trusting Him. King Asa revealed the wickedness of his heart by becoming angry at the prophet’s message and put him in prison.  Asa fell back to the walk of a toddler and fell. It is not lost on us that a disease of the feet eventually took Asa’s life!  Yikes.  But, he actually had a heart condition.

Trust God; He knows what He is doing!

Lord,

Thank you for reaching out to hold my hand as I learn to walk humbly with you.  I have not arrived nor have I attained perfection in all my steps; but I trust you to mold and shape me with each wobbly but firm step.  Only You, the Master of the walk can make my steps right. Thank you, Jesus for not only redeeming us of our sins but showing us how to walk humbly with our Father.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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A GODLY LEADER ATTRACKS SEEKERS    

Posted on December 3, 2025 by randscallawayffm

More than one general has won a battle but afterwards lost the war because of pride or carelessness, and God didn’t want King Asa to fall into that trap.  Many kings, presidents, and other leaders come to power with good intentions; but “the highway to hell is paved with good intentions.”  This old saying, not a Biblical quote, can mean that good intentions are worthless on their own and don’t guarantee positive outcomes. It can also be interpreted that either that good intentions without action are useless, or that actions taken with good intentions can still have disastrous unintended consequences. What helps one group of people might hurt another group. 

We need help.  We need wisdom. We need the Lord.  Seek God first!

All the prophets and God-called leaders through the Bible had one song to sing with many verses—Seek God.  On of God’s spokesperson, Jeremiah shouts God’s words proclaiming this timeless Truth; Seek and you will find Me!  God isn’t hiding, He waiting for us!

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

Other seers, prophets, and priests advised Israel’s leaders to seek God first;

  • “But if from there you will seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul”. Deuteronomy 4:29
  • “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near”. Isaiah 55:6
  • “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts”. Psalm 10:4
  • “”You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek'”. Psalm 27:8
  • “Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his face continually”. 1 Chronicles 16:11

Then Jesus, Son of God, came to earth from heaven to remind the world of the reason to seek God first with His message of hope: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”. Matthew 6:33 He message included: God knows what you need—seek Him who knows all our needs.

On the night before the cross of redemption—Jesus’ mission on earth to save us from our sins—Jesus prayed, seeking God first.  “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”—Jesus, Luke 22:42

Seeking God is surrendering to God. True seeking comes from a surrendered heart to God.  Not my will but Yours, Lord.

2 Chronicles 15

Asa’s Reform

The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded. 2 He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. 3 For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. 4 But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them. 5 In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. 6 One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress. 7 But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

8 When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage. He removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the Lord that was in front of the portico of the Lord’s temple.

9 Then he assembled all Judah and Benjamin and the people from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who had settled among them, for large numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.

10 They assembled at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. 11 At that time they sacrificed to the Lord seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats from the plunder they had brought back. 12 They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul. 13 All who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman. 14 They took an oath to the Lord with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns. 15 All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.

16 King Asa also deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down, broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 17 Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life. 18 He brought into the temple of God the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.

19 There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The Lord sent the prophet Azariah to meet Asa and the victorious army and give them a message of encouragement and warning from God.  Azariah’s message was the same as that of King Asa: seek the Lord, obey Him, trust Him, and be strong in Him. (See also 2 Chronicles 14:11; Deuteronomy 4:29).

THE MESSAGE: “The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. 

ASA’S RESPONSE TO GOD:  Asa then led all of Israel to seek God with him. “They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them.” Asa’s seeking God with surrender to God led to revival and reform: “large numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.”

THE PEOPLE’S RESPONSE:  They sought the Lord with sacrifice and surrender. “They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul. 

GOD’S RESPONSE TO SEEKERS:  Seeking God with all our hearts, minds, and souls in a humbled posture of surrender to God’s will leads to heavenly outcomes: “So, the Lord gave them rest on every side.” Don’t you love that?Peace came to rest on His people.

“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 16:33

In our world of wars, rumors of wars, inflation, taxes and tariffs, sliding scales of economies, slavery of our young with evil atrocities meant to distract and deceive us from God—we must still seek Him first—daily!

The real Enemy thinks he has one more chance to defeat our Lord by winning our souls. His desire is to win a war that has already been won!  But we should realize that God has not and will not ever give up His authority. Jesus, His Son was, is and always will be the Victor! His Holy Spirit lives in us in power to help us 24/7!

Read the “revealing truth” in the revelation Jesus gave to his beloved disciple John for yourselves!  The revelation is the last Song and Verse of the Singer who proclaims—God wins!  It is also Jesus’ last warning to his churches to seek and surrender to God with sincere hearts for there are things to come that will be unimaginable and magnificent for believers in Him. Sing the Song of the Redeemer!

AND…Jesus is coming back to claim all who sought God with surrendered hearts, minds, and souls—all the “whoevers” who never gave up in believing! Our resurrected Jesus on that third day became our Hope of eternal life!  Jesus did for us what no one can do for themselves—Pay the debt of sin we owe! Jesus paid it all!

As we study God’s Word while seeking His wisdom; we learn that at significant times throughout Jewish history, leaders and the people renew their commitment to the Lord, which is a lesson for the church to follow today. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Paul reminds us. Daily surrender with repentance is the way to hear God.

Asa didn’t reorganize the priesthood or remodel the temple, nor did he import new worship ideas from the pagan nations around him. He simply led the people to seek God with Him with sincere hearts in rededication to the covenant that God had already given them.

Pause to reflect on what surrender to God means.  Take all the time you need as will I.

Lord,

It is in surrender that we hear you best.  Without surrender we only hear the feedback of ourselves along with the voices of the world who speak loudly but do not really know you. Help us to be still, undistracted, and surrender fully, so that we may get to know who You are more fully.  May rest with peace come as we give ourselves to you as an offering. May your perfect and pleasing will be done.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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HE DID WHAT WAS RIGHT TO GOD

Posted on December 2, 2025 by randscallawayffm

How great it is to be known as someone who did what was right in the eyes of God— because of their love and awe for God!  Historically, kings come and go; conquer and command; build up or tear down; but the line that leaps for the page is their description of their character.  The king “did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.” This is truly one of the greatest one-line summations of a life lived well–trusting and obeying God because they honored God by loving Him back.

Isn’t that the goal of a life lived with, to and for God?  I’ve read, studied, meditated on every phrase in every story of how humanity relates to God and each other from Genesis to Revelation and the bottom line seems to be this: We love God because He first loved us. What God desires most is for us to love Him back.  “For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” (2 Chronicles 16:9) King Asa was that guy! God supported him because of his heart for God.

2 Chronicles 14

And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. Asa his son succeeded him as king, and in his days the country was at peace for ten years.

Asa King of Judah

2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God. 3 He removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. 4 He commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his laws and commands. 5 He removed the high places and incense altars in every town in Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him. 6 He built up the fortified cities of Judah, since the land was at peace. No one was at war with him during those years, for the Lord gave him rest.

7 “Let us build up these towns,” he said to Judah, “and put walls around them, with towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the Lord our God; we sought him and he has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.

8 Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men from Judah, equipped with large shields and with spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand from Benjamin, armed with small shields and with bows. All these were brave fighting men.

9 Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with an army of thousands upon thousands and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. 10 Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.

11 Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.”

12 The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, 13 and Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. Such a great number of Cushites fell that they could not recover; they were crushed before the Lord and his forces. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of plunder. 14 They destroyed all the villages around Gerar, for the terror of the Lord had fallen on them. They looted all these villages, since there was much plunder there. 15 They also attacked the camps of the herders and carried off droves of sheep and goats and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

WHAT DO WE LEARN? —HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The greatest way to respond to our God was explained by Jesus who was asked what God most desires from us:

“Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  Jesus followed up with “This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”—Jesus, Matthew 22:38-40

Later Jesus, the night before he went to the cross to complete His mission to save the world of sin by paying the debt we all owed, he said to his disciples and followers: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

God’s Love is perfect, divine, and holy and drives out all fear of everything else trying to distract us from His love.  We are not perfect but we are perfectly forgiven by God who gave His Son, Jesus to redeem us from our sins. When we repent of our sins to Jesus, we say yes to God who pours His Love into our hearts! God also immediately fills our being with His Holy Spirit who guides us to truth with His power to speak Truth with His love abiding in us. God’s Love is amazing.  The beauty of God’s love is that the more we get to know Him the more of His love flows through us!  The song playing in the background of my mind this morning is the beautiful testimony of God’s love sung by Philips, Craig and Dean— “Your Grace Still Amazes Me” https://youtu.be/LNVKv7whIzM?si=eFcod5dj3jtSv3Xr

  • Lord,

Thank you for Your Story of Love through King Asa who loved you back. Thank you for your Daily Manna of Love that fills my heart, mind, and soul as I love you back and strive to love others.  Your Love fills all the empty places, sustains me on challenging days, encourages me, reminds me I am loved when I feel unlovable, and your love saved me.  Your amazing love, truly how can it be—until we live it ourselves.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for your love, mercy, and grace that still amazes me.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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WAR—A WAY OF LIFE FOR A DIVIDED KINGDOM

Posted on December 1, 2025 by randscallawayffm

A war of words, sneaky betrayals, and common gossip happens when God’s church divides into cliques who seek their own arrogant powers of influence while holding tightly to religious traditions—as if traditions are what saved them for eternity.  Yes, read that again.  Our traditions in the church we call “our home church” does not save us from our sins—only Jesus saves us and sets us free! Our one and only job given to us following our redemption and removal of our sins is to go and teach others this Good News of salvation! All the rest is merely activities that lead to the mission—or not.

For example, years ago, in a new pastorate, we soon discovered a very angry couple who would not talk to us during the Easter season and a few months afterward.  After prodding we learned that there was a cross stored in the basement that was “always brought out” and placed near the organ during the Easter season—but it wasn’t that year—because no one told us!  We were gossiped about with a bit of slander over the wooden cross that was not put into place as a holy tradition in the eyes of the people. The cross itself, as a sign of redemption of Jesus sacrifice, did not save people from their sins!  Only Jesus saves.  In that same season, people came forward to be saved by in the Name of Jesus; but the emphasis was on more on their tradition that was not accomplished.  How God must sigh in grief over the silliness of His people.

The way we “do church” with programs or no programs with order of worship; hymns with chorus or no hymns with only praise songs; worship teams that raise their hands or quiet teams who simply sing the song; those who feed those in need but following guidelines or no requirements at all become traditions. Traditions form within the Body of Christ; but they are not the answer for our internal sin problem we keep hidden so others will not know how addicted we are to them.  Some addictions are wanting our own way like a toddler who demand the attention of others.  More emphasis needs to be made on being the church in unity with God.  May God’s Kingdom thinking come and reside in our hearts, minds and souls.  “Not my will, but His be done”—another prayer lesson from Jesus. These are the prayers and behaviors of those seeking unity while avoiding division within the Body of Christ who is the Head and Cornerstone of His church.

This son of Rehoboam was handpicked by his father because of his proven ability (11:22), but he was not a godly man (1 Kings 15:3). He reigned only three years. He was from David’s line through both parents because David’s infamous son, Absalom, was Abijah’s maternal grandfather or great-grandfather. (1 Kings 15:2; 2 Chronicles 13:2). Abijah may have had David’s blood flowing in his veins, but he didn’t have David’s heart beating in his breast!

Abijah’s father, Rehoboam, had kept up a running war with Jeroboam, and Abijah carried on the tradition. 

2 Chronicles 13

Abijah King of Judah

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah became king of Judah, 2 and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maakah, a daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.

There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah went into battle with an army of four hundred thousand able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops.

4 Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me! 5 Don’t you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, an official of Solomon son of David, rebelled against his master. 7 Some worthless scoundrels gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young and indecisive and not strong enough to resist them.

8 “And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the Lord, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. 9 But didn’t you drive out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods.

10 “As for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the Lord are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them. 11 Every morning and evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the Lord. They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the Lord our God. But you have forsaken him. 12 God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. People of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.”

13 Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah the ambush was behind them. 14 Judah turned and saw that they were being attacked at both front and rear. Then they cried out to the Lord. The priests blew their trumpets 15 and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 The Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands. 17 Abijah and his troops inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel’s able men. 18 The Israelites were subdued on that occasion, and the people of Judah were victorious because they relied on the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages. 20 Jeroboam did not regain power during the time of Abijah. And the Lord struck him down and he died.

21 But Abijah grew in strength. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

22 The other events of Abijah’s reign, what he did and what he said, are written in the annotations of the prophet Iddo.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

War become a way of life for the divided nation of Israel.  But a divided church is not God’s design in the New Covenant that includes whoever believes!  This truth is expressed by the prayer of Jesus for all believers to come after His days on earth. Jesus compassionately prayed asking God that all who believe be One in unity. Jesus uttered these powerful, loving words to God before going to the cross to redeem us by paying the debt of all the sins of the world with His own life!

Jesus prayed before dying to save us;

“My prayer is not for them (His present disciples) alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”—Jesus, John 17:20-23

BECAUSE of God’s Love, the same love demonstrated and defined as giving His One and Only Son to save whoever believes is real and eternal, relentless and unchanging.  “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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

Jesus and God—united and unbreakable—until that moment in time when Jesus took all the sins of the world upon His shoulders and willing laid down His life to rid the world of sin once and for all!  Our Perfect and Holy God turned His face on the sins of the world that Jesus carried to the cross.  For God and sin cannot occupy the same place.  “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” was the passionate cry of One separated for that moment from His Father to complete the mission to die for our sins to save us for eternity. Jesus then gave up his last human breath and died a human death on earth.  The holy sacrifice willingly and obediently finished to remove sin. 

Jesus, without sin before the cross carried the sins of the world to the cross for you and for me.  Sigh, let that sink in.

So, when we repent in Jesus Name of our sins; the only One who can, removes our sins— “as far as the east is from the west” to be “remembered no more.”  (Psalm 103:12) Nobody but Jesus could do this for us.  It is God’s gift to us.  We cannot do it for ourselves.  We don’t deserve it and we certainly cannot earn, no matter how hard we try. This is God’s gift given His Way so that no human would have right or reason to boast!  Only Jesus is the Way to God.  Only Jesus removes all our sins so we can be one with Him.  Accept Him.

SO THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW—

Jesus prays that his followers may be united in the same way he and the Father are one. He asks that believers be united “as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You” and “that they may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me”. This unity is a spiritual and relational oneness, meant to be a testimony to the world of God’s love and the truth of the Gospel. 

Interestingly, Abijah knew his history and had faith in what God had said to Moses and David. He had the courage to preach a sermon to Jeroboam and his army of 800,000 men (twice as large as Judah’s army), reminding them of the true foundation for the Jewish faith. Abijah opened his sermon by reminding Jeroboam that David’s line was the true royal dynasty as stated in God’s unchanging covenant with David. (See also 2 Samuel 7).

Abijah reminded Jeroboam that only the sons of Aaron could serve in the temple. Judah worshiped the one true and living God, while Israel worshiped two golden calves. Israel’s priests were hired by their king; not divinely appointed servants of the Lord. In Judah, the people honored the Lord God Jehovah— “God is with us!” If Israel were to attack Judah, therefore, Israel would be fighting against the Lord!

In division, God has not left the building nor has He given up His Authority—

“The Lord acted as He did for the glory of His own name. Abijah isn’t marked out as a godly ruler, but we commend him for his understanding of God’s truth and his faith in God’s power. Abijah was no Joshua, but the God of Joshua was still the God of His people, proving Himself faithful. Abijah became more and more powerful, fathered many children, and helped to continue the dynasty of David. God uses imperfect people to do His will, if only they will trust Him.”—Warren Wiersbe, Wiersbe Study Bible

God’s Truth can get lost or be put aside in the busyness and business of maintaining human traditions.  As the “Word made flesh moved into the neighborhood” (John 1, MSG) of humanity; Jesus first reprimands the religious community as those who should know better but “their hearts were far from God.”

As the Body of Christ, let us strive with our hearts, minds and souls to be aligned and attached to Truth.  May we avoid war with each other as a way of life. May our desire be all God desires us to be—so that the lost world around us sees the Light and Love of God in us like a high beam that does not blind but guides the lost to Jesus Christ, “God with us, who saves us from our sins.” 

Jesus saves. We do not.

Lord,

Traditions are fruitless if they only define us as a club with similar tastes in doing church.  Let us fully set our hearts on you for your direction and guidance.  May your Kingdom come; Your Will be done.  Help us to BE the church united because we are united with you!

In Jesus Name, for our good and most of all for your glory, Amen

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ON GOD’S LAST NERVE IS NOT A PLACE TO BE

Posted on November 30, 2025 by randscallawayffm

As an eight-year-old trying to grow up, I mostly knew where the “line” was; but that didn’t mean I didn’t try to test the limits of the line and cross it from time to time.  Most times, as the compliant, oldest child I didn’t approach the line. In fact, if I thought I did, I would send myself to my room as self-punishment before my parents could deliver their punishment.  On rare occasions, I would try to hide crossing the line; but that never worked either.  Parents know by instinct. 

Mom’s intuition one day caught me in the act of doing exactly what she told me not to do!  On her way outside to do yardwork, mom said, “And don’t go looking for your birthday presents; that will take all the fun out of being surprised.”  For some reason, her words translated in my mind as a challenge. My birthday presents were hidden in an upper closet atop their regular closet in their bedroom. To mom that was a great place to hide things out of the reach of her super short kid.  Ah, but no.  When I saw she was knee deep in removing weeds in her garden; I made a plan to reach that high shelf and get a peek.  I drug a chair from the kitchen table and place it at just the right spot.  I climbed up but it was not high enough.  So, I placed the large Oklahoma City phonebook on top of the chair but it was still not high enough. Books from mom’s bedstand were placed until a staircase to the prize was created.

Finally, I was ready to open the doors.  Then suddenly mom’s strong adamant voice came for the window where she stood watching.  With “line crossing compassion” she shouted; “What do you think you are doing?  Get down from there right now!” Sudden fear gripped my whole being and I almost fell as I scrabbled down my tower of books!  Caught in the act—Not a good place to be!

My mom turned away and said no more feeling confident she had done what needed to be done.  She was right.  I think mom saw that the fear and surprise of being caught was punishment enough.  I also think I saw her smile and chuckle as she went back to yardwork, mumbling, “that child, getting on my last nerve”, Lord, help us”. I quickly dismantled my tower and put every book back where I found it.  Then joined her in pulling weeds as penance.  Her love for me did not change. 

Could it be parents and grandparents know where the line is because they had crossed it and knew the consequences of doing so when they were kids? It’s hard to image our parents and especially our grandparents being kids who misbehaved and did stupid stuff like the generations before them—but alas, as Paul writes to the Roman believers; “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Romans 3:23 However, we also learn that redemption for our sins “to be removed and remembered no more” is made possible by Jesus Christ as a “GIFT!” (Romans 3:24) This gift is not earned and is so undeserved; but is God’s great gift of His love, mercy, and grace demonstrated by His Son.  “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Jesus’ willing, humble and obedient sacrifice on the cross redeemed humanity from the debt of sin all because of His great love for each one of us! “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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.” Lamentations 3:23-24

King Rehoboam showed wisdom after Israel and Judah split. He sought to honor God as his father and grandfather had done. But after becoming well established, this pages tell us that Rehoboam stopped depending on God. So God used the ambitious king of Egypt to cause Rehoboam to look to Him again. But the consequences of Rehoboam’s decisions still followed him and affected the whole nation.

No matter what circumstance or temptation causes us to drift away from God, He still loves us and wants us back. Don’t forget this truth! God forgives us and calls us back to himself. Sometimes God uses a difficult situation to call us back, as in the case of Rehoboam.

2 Chronicles 12

Shishak Attacks Jerusalem

After Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the Lord. 2 Because they had been unfaithful to the Lord, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam. 3 With twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen and the innumerable troops of Libyans, Sukkites and Cushites that came with him from Egypt, 4 he captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem.

5 Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he said to them, “This is what the Lord says, ‘You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak.’”

6 The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is just.”

7 When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, this word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: “Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. 8 They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands.”

9 When Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem, he carried off the treasures of the temple of the Lord and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields Solomon had made. 10 So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned these to the commanders of the guard on duty at the entrance to the royal palace. 11 Whenever the king went to the Lord’s temple, the guards went with him, bearing the shields, and afterward they returned them to the guardroom.

12 Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord’s anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed. Indeed, there was some good in Judah.

13 King Rehoboam established himself firmly in Jerusalem and continued as king. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite. 14 He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the Lord.

15 As for the events of Rehoboam’s reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer that deal with genealogies? There was continual warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. 16 Rehoboam rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Abijah his son succeeded him as king.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

TRUTH:  When we repent, we may still bear the consequences of our sin, but God forgives and restores us.  When we humble ourselves before him and ask for His forgiveness with a sincere heart He removes our sin from our hearts. We don’t deserve it and cannot earn it nor can we remove our sins—Only God through Jesus His Son does for us what we cannot do for ourselves.  Jesus is the only Way to complete pardon from God immediately followed by full access to His throne.

Warren Wiersbe comments;

“Were it not for the overruling hand of a sovereign God, the Israelite nation could never have accomplished what God had called them to do: bear witness of the one true and living God, write the Scriptures, and bring the Savior into the world. The nation had divided into two, and leaders and common people in both nations had departed from the Lord to serve idols. Although the priests still carried on the temple ministry in Judah, during the 345 years from Rehoboam to Zedekiah, only eight of Judah’s nineteen kings were classified as “good.” As for Israel’s twenty kings, most were self-seeking men, classified as “evil.” Some were better than others, but none was compared with David.”—Wiersbe Study Bible

There is no one like our God!  Believe, repent, and be saved for Life eternal! 

Lord,

Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls, and restore the joy of you in us and us in you.  Lead and guide all we think, say, and do all day long, in and through all circumstances, until we lay our heads down to sleep tonight.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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THE SHIFT FROM SELF TO GOD

Posted on November 29, 2025 by randscallawayffm

“You have heard it said; but I say unto you…”—Jesus, (Matthew 5-7)

Every person on the planet as done it more than once—followed our own hearts! Yes, this is the popular mantra of worldview thinkers, but it is a lie. We discover quickly that when we follow our own hearts; life falls into confusion and chaos. We blame others first for not jumpy on the bandwagon of our hearts leading.  Then we wonder why our plan fell apart.

Jesus, who is the Word made flesh teaches a different way to think and live.  He says to seek God first and follow His heart.  This truth makes perfect sense!  God knows what we need at just the right time—most times before we even know what we need it! God created the uniververse and everything in it. I’m sure He who is all-knowing, all-seeing, all powerful will have the answers we need!  “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”—Jesus, Matthew 6:33


“All these things” are the compassionate pursuits of our hearts.  So, who or what are we pursing to fill our emptiness?  God’s heart or our own?  Mm.  God, in his unfailing faithfulness and relentless love for us is ready to guide us with His wisdom.  We just need to ask. Jesus goes on to say; “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.” (John 16:33) If our pursuit is God; we have “all these things” He knows we need for Life! God never fails, never gives up, and can fulfill every need in good times and challenging times. Truth: God is faithful even when we are not.  His will and purpose prevail through it all as our faith in Him matures.  We are overcomers when we trust in Jesus who Overcame death and removed our sin by His sacrifice!

But when our human eyes, like Rehoboam the king, see what possibilities lie ahead; fear rears its ugly head. We might panic first then try to muster up courage driven by our own pride and decide for ourselves what we must do about these imagined impending dangers that could serve to destroy us and those we love. We imagine all possible outcomes before the circumstances are even formed!

It is this faulty human thinking with fallible minds with even weaker resolve that lead us to shift our thinking from God to self which leads to more trouble than we had imagined!  Fortunately, for believers, God steps in to correct and divert us back on His path of Life. God’s Voice of reason and direction will always provide the wisdom we need.  If we listen to Him, trust and obey what He says to be and do; we can avoid the traps set by evil. In King Rehoboam’s case in point—war is avoided.

2 Chronicles 11

When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered Judah and Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand able young men—to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam.

2 But this word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God: 3 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, 4 ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your fellow Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’” So they obeyed the words of the Lord and turned back from marching against Jeroboam.

Rehoboam Fortifies Judah

5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah: 6 Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth Zur, Soko, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These were fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. 11 He strengthened their defenses and put commanders in them, with supplies of food, olive oil and wine. 12 He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.

13 The priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided with him. 14 The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the Lord 15 when he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made. 16 Those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 17 They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon three years, following the ways of David and Solomon during this time.

Rehoboam’s Family

18 Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab. 19 She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham. 20 Then he married Maakah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith. 21 Rehoboam loved Maakah daughter of Absalom more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maakah as crown prince among his brothers, in order to make him king. 23 He acted wisely, dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and took many wives for them.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

King Rehoboam showed wisdom after Israel and Judah split. He sought to honor God as his father and grandfather had done. But after becoming well established, Rehoboam stopped depending on God.  His thinking shifted from God to self because of the pride that plagued many kings then as it destroys the effectiveness of leaders today.

Max Lucado writes—

“No matter what circumstance or temptation causes us to drift away from God, he still loves us and wants us back. God forgives us and calls us back to himself. Sometimes God uses a difficult situation to call us back, as in the case of Rehoboam. When we repent, we may still bear the consequences of our sin, but God forgives and restores us.

A lot of us live with a hidden fear that God is angry at us. Somewhere, sometime, some Sunday school class or some television show convinced us that God has a whip behind his back, a paddle in his back pocket, and he’s going to nail us when we’ve gone too far. No concept could be more wrong! Your Savior’s Father is very fond of you and only wants to share his love with you.

Could you use the genuine fresh air of God’s forgiveness? Would you love to stand in the approval of God again? How do you do it? By genuinely admitting to God that you’ve made a mistake, knowing that God loves you more than he hates your mistakes. And knowing that he will forgive those mistakes.

Does the Word of God say, “There is limited condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”? No. Does it say, “There is some condemnation”? No. It says, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1, emphasis added). Think of it—regardless of our sin, we are not guilty!

By his nature God wants to forgive and restore you. He wants to meet your deepest longings. He is fond of you. What does it mean to you that your Father is very fond of you? Think about that through the next day. Then, think of at least one person with whom you can share this good news.” –Lucado Encouraging Word Bible

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:11

“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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

Let us pursue the One who loves us most and died to save us.  Be blessed by “all these things” God will do in and through us for our good and His glory!

Lord,

Thank you for teaching us your word with your thoughts guiding us to all that is truth. Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls, as you continually restore the joy of you in us and us in you.  Help us today to pursue You and your Kingdom thinking!  You make everything new and our relationships with each other better because of knowing your love.  I’m Yours and I’m listening for You.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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