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« Reply #4860 on: October 06, 2007, 09:35:20 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 7
Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. - 2 Chronicles 7:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
One of the great hymns of the church is the classic, “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.” Some of its lyrics, translated from German, read: “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation! O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation! All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near; Join me in glad adoration! . . . Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him! All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him! Let the ”˜amen' sound from His people again; Gladly forever adore Him!”

From the dedication of Solomon's temple to your congregation singing hymns, the spirit of worship and praise for our God is the same. When Solomon finished his public prayer of dedication, “fire came down from heaven” and “the glory of the Lord filled the temple” (v. 1). The same thing had happened at the dedication of the tabernacle (Lev. 9:23-24), as well as on other occasions when He wanted His power and presence to be unmistakable. Kneeling facedown was an expression of awe and worship, underlined by their verbal covenant affirmation, “He is good; his love endures forever” (v. 3).

God also appeared to Solomon again, officially answering his prayer with promises and affirmations, as well as warnings. As long as Israel remained faithful and didn't serve other gods, the temple would remain. But if they did sin and come under His judgment, they could humbly repent and seek the Lord, knowing He would forgive their sin and heal their land (v. 14).

The complete celebration in today's chapter took fifteen days—seven days of dedicating the temple and altar, seven days for the Feast of Tabernacles, and one day for a national assembly. At its conclusion, the people returned home “joyful and glad in heart for the good things the Lord had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel” (v. 10).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Your home likely has less gold workmanship than Solomon's temple! Even so, you can still dedicate it to the Lord. If you haven't done so already, we suggest that you and your family pray through your house room-by-room, committing each person and every activity in it to God's service and glory. In the kitchen, for example, you could pray about topics such as godly hospitality. In the children's bedroom, you could entrust their character and future choices to the One who loves them even more than you do.
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« Reply #4861 on: October 07, 2007, 09:39:27 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 8
As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God. - 1 Kings 11:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
According to The Gallup Poll in July of this year, the American public had strong opinions about the most important issues facing elected leaders. Iraq remained at the top of the list, as it has since March 2004. Following that were terrorism and national security, the economy, energy, illegal immigration, health care, and education. Also included on the list was the notion of “fixing government”: job approval ratings for Congress were in the mid-20 percent range, the lowest observed by Gallup in a decade. Certainly there is no shortage of important issues that people would like to see addressed by their elected leaders, a challenge that is increasingly relevant with the presidential election next year.

Solomon also dealt with various national policy issues. Some involved battles, but he was not primarily a warrior, as his father David had been. Instead, he focused on politics, diplomacy, and trade. He undertook building projects. He shored up national security by strengthening border posts and equipping his army with chariots and horses. He solidified relations with neighbors such as Egypt. To give his daughter in marriage to Solomon, Pharaoh must have regarded him as a worthy equal. Though such wives would later help lead him astray, Solomon was still faithful to the Lord at this time. He built his new wife her own palace in order to keep her away from Jewish holy places (v. 11). He also finished David's work of organizing the priests and Levites to carry out different worship-related tasks.

As the king expanded his trading projects, he partnered with Hiram and the Phoenicians, experts in shipbuilding and sailing. His ships would surely have docked at the kingdom of Saba, or Sheba (southwest Arabia), more than a thousand miles away. Their king may have worried that such voyages could disrupt his caravan trade, which may in turn have prompted him to send his queen on the famous visit we'll read about tomorrow.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you know that map of the world in the lobby of your church? The one that you've walked by so many times you no longer really see it? The next time you're at church, we encourage you to stop there and spend some time praying. As we consider Solomon's national and international projects today and tomorrow, you may feel led to consider the church's national and international projects as well. Who are your church's “home missionaries”? What do they do? How can you help?
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« Reply #4862 on: October 08, 2007, 10:04:18 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 9
He has made you king over [Israel], to maintain justice and righteousness. - 2 Chronicles 9:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
Earlier this year, Forbes announced its annual list of “The World's Richest People.” The magazine identified a total of 946 billionaires worth an average of $3.6 billion each, including 178 people who attained billionaire status for the first time this year. Some countries are climbing the charts fast, such as Russia, which now boasts 53 billionaires, and India, which took over the #1 ranking in Asia with 36 billionaires. The top spot on the list is occupied, as it has been for 13 years straight, by Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Had Forbes kept its list in Old Testament times, Solomon would have been a shoo-in to take the top spot (vv. 22-24). Nonetheless, when the queen of Sheba visited, her plan was to cut him down to size through a two-pronged “attack.” First, she brought along the most difficult philosophical and religious questions she could; second, she brought gifts calculated to amaze her host, including exotic spices and four-and-a-half tons of gold. Instead, it was she who was completely “overwhelmed” by Solomon's wisdom and wealth (v. 4).

Here, through an objective pagan evaluation, we see that Solomon really was as incredible as the writer of 2 Chronicles has been making him out to be. The queen's farewell speech is interesting (vv. 5-8). As in the case of Hiram, most commentators think her praise of God is merely praise of Solomon, phrased in culturally appropriate terms. But her words are so specific that we must conclude that the king had at least tried to explain to her the one true God and His dealings with Israel. So who knows with what seeds of belief she returned home!

Chapter 9 marks a climax in the narrative so far, in the sense that God's promises in chapter 1 have been fulfilled. The queen of Sheba and others, coming from the “ends of the earth” to testify to Solomon's wisdom and wealth, were in the big picture testifying to the greatness and faithfulness of God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Solomon had many projects both home and abroad—as does the church. While “home missions” (see yesterday) includes prison ministry, food pantries, crisis pregnancy centers, and youth outreach, international missions is also a rich topic for learning and prayer. Pay another visit to that map in your church's lobby. Whom does your church support overseas? How might you get involved? “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised” (Ps. 113:3).
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« Reply #4863 on: October 09, 2007, 09:15:09 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 10-11
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. - Proverbs 11:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
Abraham Lincoln, who had said, “Government cannot endure permanently half slave, half free,” was elected President on November 6, 1860. Six weeks later, South Carolina seceded from the Union, followed within the next two months by six other states. By the time Lincoln was sworn in on March 4, 1861, the Confederate States of America had already come into existence. On April 12, the Confederate army captured Fort Sumter. When Lincoln issued a call for 75,000 militia, four more states seceded. The American Civil War had begun.

Civil war, brother against brother, is an ugly thing. How did the nation of Israel, so soon after the golden age of David and Solomon, find itself on the verge of civil war? The seeds of this situation lay in discontent with taxation and forced labor, a result of decades of building projects. Jeroboam led a delegation asking Rehoboam, the new king, to take it easier. Rehoboam wisely asked for a delay to seek counsel, but then foolishly took the wrong advice. His friends apparently thought that authority and power were the same thing, and that power was shown in exploiting others. The idea of a king as the shepherd of his people and responsible before God had been lost somewhere!

God worked through the expression of Rehoboam's foolishness; in fact, the Lord had already promised Jeroboam the northern kingship (10:15). He also sent His prophet Shemaiah to prevent armed conflict from breaking out, though Rehoboam still set up defensive posts. To his credit, he obeyed the prophet, though otherwise he didn't show much respect for the Lord. Like his father, he took many wives, in violation of the Law (11:21; cf. Deut. 17:17). To the north, things were not much better. Jeroboam appointed his own priests and worshiped animal idols (11:15; cf. Lev. 17:7). Therefore, the priests and Levites headed south, and Jerusalem and the temple remained the spiritual heart of the divided nation.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
A wise application from today's devotional is to consider carefully from whom you seek advice. Rather than heed the reasonable counsel of experienced men, Rehoboam chose to follow the advice of his peers. Were they “yes men”? Inexperienced or immature? Proud or aggressive? We don't really know. But their advice was foolish and the results of following it proved disastrous. Are the counselors in your life more like them or more like the first set? Make sure you listen to the truth-tellers God has put into your life.
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« Reply #4864 on: October 10, 2007, 09:12:07 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 12:1-14:1
This is what the Lord says, “You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you.” - 2 Chronicles 12:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
Gerhard Brinkmann, 88, was visiting a friend's grave site in the town of Halberstadt, Germany. A young man approached him and demanded his money and watch. “I told him to come closer if he wanted it,” recounted Brinkmann. “As he did I landed a full-force right hook on his chin.” Brinkmann was the German lightweight boxing champion in 1936, and despite the passage of time he still had plenty of power left. The would-be mugger thought he had chosen an easy target—but the “old man” knocked him out and won an unlikely victory.

That's the way today's story ends as well—with an unlikely victory that upon investigation seemed bound to happen. Because Rehoboam had led the nation away from covenant obedience, God allowed Judah to be defeated in battle by Shishak, king of Egypt (12:1-2). (This event is corroborated in secular history, since Shishak had a relief carved on the wall of a temple in Thebes to memorialize his victory.) The passage makes clear that the size of the armies and the number of mercenaries involved was irrelevant to the outcome. The reason for the defeat was covenantal, not military. When Shemaiah the prophet arrived with a message from the Lord, the king repented and the nation was rescued, but not entirely. There were lessons to be learned (12:8 ), but this event was enough of a lesson for Rehoboam's lifetime.

His son Abijah, though evaluated negatively on the whole, still had enough sense to appeal to the covenant to rebuke Jeroboam and his idolatry (13:5, 10-12; cf. 1 Kings 15:3). As a result, despite being the smaller country with the smaller army, he won a decisive military success. The huge number killed clearly indicates divine intervention, again driving home the lesson that victory and defeat are in the hands of the Lord. This defeat broke the back of Jeroboam's power and prevented him from causing any further trouble.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God taught Rehoboam a humbling lesson by allowing him to be defeated in battle and making him watch foreigners cart away some of the treasures from Solomon's temple. Perhaps there has been a time in your life when God taught you a similar humbling lesson. In response to today's passage, reflect and write about this lesson in your spiritual journal or diary. What did God want to teach you through that painful experience? How do you look back on it now and see His goodness at work?
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« Reply #4865 on: October 11, 2007, 01:48:52 PM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 14:2-15:19
All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. - 2 Chronicles 15:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
Evangelist Billy Sunday, described by one newspaper of his day as a “whirling dervish,” was known for his energetic and dramatic style. In the early 1900s, he used colloquial language, applied modern business methods to organizing evangelistic crusades, and won an estimated 300,000 converts. “I want to preach the gospel so plainly,” he said, “that men can come from the factories and not have to bring a dictionary.” Over a period of four decades, 100 million Americans heard him speak in more than 300 crusades.

As Billy Sunday brought revival to many American towns and cities, so in today's reading King Asa brought revival to Judah. We're not told how he became a true believer, but it seems that there were still God-worshipers in leadership positions who influenced him toward obedience. From the very start of his reign, Asa battled idolatry, tried to remove the high places used for idolatry, and led the nation in seeking the Lord. God gave him a decade of peace to carry out these reforms, then enabled him to face a military threat from Egypt. Zerah, the Egyptian general, worked for Osorkon I, son of Shishak, who invaded Judah in order to recreate his father's victories and win glory for himself. But this time the results were quite different. Asa prayed for God's help and asked that His glory would win the victory (14:11).

Though the king tried to remove the high places, it appears he was unsuccessful. He could tear down altars, but he couldn't root out faithlessness from people's hearts. Against what might have been very natural discouragement, God sent a prophet named Azariah (about whom nothing else is known) to encourage and exhort the king to redouble his efforts (15:7-8). In response, Asa called a national assembly during the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), during which the covenant was renewed. He also showed his uncompromising commitment to the Lord by punishing his own grandmother for her idolatry (15:16).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
You might already know that the rest of 2 Chronicles is an up-and-down story. One king leads a revival, the next strays back into idolatry. As our study continues, we suggest that you keep a running list headed “Principles for Revival.” That is, what conditions and actions help or hinder Israel's various spiritual reawakenings? What general truths can be derived for personal and community spiritual revival in our day? By the end of the month, you should have a challenging list for prayer and action!
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« Reply #4866 on: October 12, 2007, 08:54:48 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 16
Were not the Cugotcha2es and Libyans a mighty army . . . ? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. - 2 Chronicles 16:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
According to the World Almanac, the length of the border between the “Lower 48” states in the United States and Canada is almost 4,000 miles. The border between Canada and Alaska is another 1,500 miles. It is known as the longest, undefended border in the world, and is rather a historical anomaly. Typically countries have resorted to elaborate fortifications to keep their neighbors out—examples include the Maginot Line constructed by France along their border with Germany and the Great Wall in China; in the case of the former East Germany, a country built a notorious wall to keep their citizens from fleeing.

King Baasha of the northern kingdom of Israel also tried to solve his border problem with fences and fortifications. Because Jerusalem had been the capital city of Israel, and the temple the nation's spiritual center, a steady stream of northern defectors had been crossing south to Judah. Baasha aimed to put a stop to that. In response, Asa, instead of calling on the Lord as he had done when faced with the Egyptian threat, hired Syrian troops to invade Israel from the north. He assumed Baasha couldn't fight a two-front war and would have to withdraw. And he was right—he was even able to take the fortification materials and use them to build up his own defenses.

Smart move, right? Wrong. There's no indication Asa sought the Lord or took counsel from any prophet or priest. Instead, he put his faith in his new “allies.” To put the exclamation point on this merely human problem solving, he paid with gold taken in part from the temple treasury. So God sent Hanani the “seer” (another word for prophet) to rebuke the king and tell him the punishment would be more war (16:9). Asa made a bad situation worse by lashing out in pride and anger, imprisoning Hanani and oppressing the people. His stubborn rebelliousness persisted through a later personal health crisis, and he died unrepentant.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It is clearly but sadly recorded that Asa put his trust in Ben-Hadad's troops rather than in the Lord. What had happened to his earlier faith and boldness? We don't know exactly, but first love growing cold is a trap that can spring on anyone (cf. Rev. 2:4-5). Perhaps it already has you in its grip. One book that can help is When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy, by John Piper.
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« Reply #4867 on: October 13, 2007, 10:20:48 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 17
His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord. - 2 Chronicles 17:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
You know what happens when weeds start growing in your yard, don't you? They spread slowly, and eventually you eliminate them all on the first try with an inexpensive weedkiller from the local Wal-Mart, right? Wrong! The truth is you procrastinate a bit, and before you know it they've taken over the back half of the yard. You try a weedkiller, but it seems to have no effect. Then a new kind of weed springs up in a different part of the yard. You go buy more serious chemicals after consultations at the hardware store. And so the battle continues.

Idolatry was like that in Judah. The more a king tried to stamp it out, the more it seemed to spring up or spread anew. Like his father Asa, King Jehoshaphat started strong, following the ways of the Lord and fighting idolatry (v. 6). God rewarded him with peace and prosperity. Obedience doesn't guarantee positive outcomes, but they would have reminded the nation that covenant obedience brought blessings while disobedience brought judgment. In addition, this time of peace would have been a direct contrast with the later years of Asa, during which God punished Judah with war. In effect, He used the events of history, which illustrates His unending sovereignty, to call the nation back to Himself.

Jehoshaphat understood that one key to spiritual thriving is God's Word. Knowledge of it can be the first step towards revival. So he also sent out priests, Levites and government officials to teach (or re-teach) people the Scriptures and to remind them about God's covenant with His people and His care for them through history.

The king's census was a bit puzzling, as the numbers seem high. It might be a count of available men, not active duty soldiers. Some translators have suggested “hundred thousand” is simply “units.” In any case, the point is that God rewarded Jehoshaphat's faith with blessings—given in the culturally familiar forms of peace, military strength, and tribute from neighboring nations.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jehoshaphat created the equivalent of a traveling Bible institute when he sent out priests, Levites and government officials to teach the people the Scriptures (vv. 7-9). Thanks to modern technology, that same opportunity exists today! Moody, for example, has a far-reaching program that provides Bible courses in a variety of formats.
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« Reply #4868 on: October 14, 2007, 10:35:39 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 18:1-19:3
Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? - 2 Chronicles 19:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
Near the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first book in J. R. R. Tolkien's epic Lord of the Rings trilogy, Frodo the hobbit faced a difficult choice. He stood at a crossroads. He had been traveling with his companions toward an evil land to destroy a powerful ring. Due to several circumstances he found himself having to choose between staying with his companions, the “fellowship” of the title, or journeying on alone, in which case his almost impossible mission would seem to become a certainly impossible one. This second option was actually the correct one, and Frodo made the right choice and went on alone.

In a similar way, Jehoshaphat stood at a crossroads in today's reading. Would he continue following the Lord or would he go down the road of his neighbor Ahab? He had married a son to one of Ahab's daughters, thereby forming an alliance (18:1). When Ahab proposed to make it a military alliance, he honored and flattered Jehoshaphat by throwing him a banquet. Jehoshaphat wanted to submit the plan to the Lord, but Ahab was ready with a well-rehearsed show put on by 400 “prophets.” This was laying it on rather thick—one can almost hear the annoyance in Jehoshaphat's voice as he requested a real prophet (18:6).

False versus true prophecy is serious business, as even Ahab knew (though apparently Zedekiah did not). He reluctantly sent for Micaiah. After mocking the chorus of “yes men,” Micaiah told a parable about God's sovereignty and foretold Ahab's defeat and death. Ahab moved forward anyway and God's words came true.

God was sending Jehoshaphat the equivalent of a billboard with flashing lights! Micaiah's truth was mostly wasted on Ahab, but Jehoshaphat could have listened and responded. He unwisely joined in the battle with Ahab anyway, but eventually took the prophetic words to heart. Jehu's godly rebuke further showed him his error and helped keep him from heading down the wrong road (19:2).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In today's reading, Jehoshaphat came to a crossroads—a defining experience, his response to which would set the course for the rest of his life. No doubt you've been faced with several such crossroads times in your life as well. As we did several days ago, we encourage you today to reflect on and write about one such experience in your spiritual journal or diary. Consider the choice, its implications, God's guidance, the motivation for your eventual decision, and the results as you can see them so far.
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« Reply #4869 on: October 15, 2007, 11:47:01 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 19:4-21:3
He walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. - 2 Chronicles 20:32
TODAY IN THE WORD
Dave McGillivray of Boston loves to run. By his fiftieth birthday several years ago, he had already run 116 marathons and eight Iron Man triathlons. On his birthday, he runs one mile for every year of his life. He frequently runs or does other athletic feats to raise money for charity, including a run across America (3,452 miles in 80 days), a 24-hour run, a 24-hour swim, a 24-hour bike ride, and starting his own nonprofit foundation. He calculates that in his life he's run a total of about 130,000 miles.

Here's a guy who could say a thing or two about finishing a race well! To “run the race” of the spiritual life requires this same kind of passion and dedication. Today's reading shows that Jehoshaphat was one of the few kings of Judah who “finished his race” well. The lesson God taught him through his alliance with Ahab must have made an impression and sent him back in the right direction. He probably also learned what not to do by reflecting on how his father Asa had failed to repent after Hanani's rebuke and been punished by the Lord. God further got Jehoshaphat's attention by sinking several ships he sent on a trading venture in partnership with another wicked king of Israel, Ahaziah (20:35-37).

Jehoshaphat responded humbly to these warnings, and God again blessed him with a time of peace and military victory. Unfortunately, many of the people still worshiped idols (20:33).

Nonetheless, one of the king's most important reforms was to set up a court system for civil and religious cases (19:4-11). The judges were to seek justice alone, not showing favoritism to the rich or powerful, and certainly not accepting bribes or gifts to “tip the scales” of justice. The foundation of such ideal justice was to be the fear of the Lord: remembering that all leaders are accountable to an all-knowing, perfectly holy God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Though the term justice may bring to mind courts and prisons, it's a term with biblical roots that run far richer and deeper than that. If you're up for an intellectual challenge, we urge you to listen to a lecture, “Teaching Justly for Justice,” by Nicholas Wolterstorff, Yale University professor and renowned Christian philosopher. This lecture, given at a 2005 conference on “Spirituality, Justice, and Pedagogy,” can be downloaded in audio or video formats from this link: www.calvin.edu/kuyers/lecture.php?ID=11.
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« Reply #4870 on: October 16, 2007, 09:26:00 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 21:4-22:9
The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction. - Galatians 6:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 2006, revenues in the American pornography industry totaled $13.3 billion—more than professional football, basketball, and baseball combined. This figure includes $3.62 billion in video sales and rentals, $2.84 billion in Internet pornography, and $2.19 billion in cable, pay-per-view, and mobile phone pornography. MSNBC has estimated that 60 percent of all Web traffic is sexual in nature. Forty million American adults, 77 percent of them men, regularly visit pornographic Web sites. Even more troubling, according to a Barna Research Group survey, 38 percent of adults believe there is nothing wrong with using pornography. These kind of statistics call us to be salt and light in the area of sexual morality.

Today's reading shows people in dire need of spiritual renewal. We might even regard it as a three-part lesson in “how to backslide.” First, lust after power. To consolidate his hold on the throne, Jehoram murdered his own brothers! Second, follow other gods. Jehoram and Ahaziah worshiped idols and led the nation astray, flagrantly breaking their covenant responsibilities. And third, imitate bad examples. Jehoram and Ahaziah walked in the ways of the wicked northern kings and listened to bad advisers. As today's verse shows, such men were bound to reap what they sowed.

The passage also communicates three positive lessons. First, God keeps His promises no matter what. Because of His covenant with David, God preserved the kingly line and didn't allow the fruit of destruction to ripen completely (21:7), though Judah did suffer several military setbacks. Second, God communicates His Word in all situations. Even someone as far gone as Jehoram received a warning letter from Elijah (late in his career before his translation to heaven). And third, be sure your sins will find you out. Never imagine that you've “gotten away with it,” as Jehoram may have thought before his painful bowel disease.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Have you lately found yourself, like the two kings in today's reading, backsliding away from the Lord? Then praise God that you've picked up His Word today. It's no accident—He's calling you back to Himself! Recall to mind promises such as John 6:37: “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” These words are still good, no matter what you've done, and God's forgiveness and grace are more than ready to welcome you home.
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« Reply #4871 on: October 17, 2007, 09:50:58 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 22:10-23:21
Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him; let all the upright in heart praise him! - Psalm 64:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Anthusa is a name that may not be very familiar to you. A Christian widow living in Antioch in the fourth century, she feared secular influences would corrupt the mind and soul of her only son, John. So she herself taught him as a child in both classical and Christian learning, and only after this foundation was laid did she send him out to study with a scholar. John went on to become one of the most famous Christian preachers in history—John “Chrysostom,” or “golden-mouthed.”

Anthusa is one of many women of faith in the history of the church. Though she stood behind the scenes, her influence was incalculable. The same can be said of Jehosheba in today's reading. Though she was Jehoram's daughter and Ahaziah's sister, she did not walk in their sinful ways but was instead obedient to the Lord. When the ruthless Athaliah murdered the royal family and seized the throne of Judah, Jehosheba rescued baby Joash and his nurse, no doubt at tremendous personal risk. Then she and her husband, Jehoiada the priest, hid the boy in the temple for six years—an exciting narrative reminiscent of the story of baby Moses. God used the two of them to preserve the Davidic kingly line and to help turn the nation back to Him.

When the time was right, Jehoiada set up a combination of coup and coronation. Athaliah was a brutal, unpopular queen, so he was able to enlist widespread support from the people, the government leaders, and the army. The seven-year-old Joash's coronation featured a crown and a scroll (Scriptures), representing both his authority and his covenant responsibilities. When Athaliah investigated all the commotion at the temple, she stepped into a well-planned trap and was captured and executed. Her temple of Baal was destroyed and the false god's priests killed. In the name of the young king, Jehoiada again set up national worship as the Law instructed, including sacrifices, music, and rituals of purification.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Athaliah and Jehosheba provide vivid, contrasting models for contemporary women. Make a two-column list of their personal qualities, both those that can be seen directly and others that you can infer. At home or in the workplace, what situations might be analogous to the one in today's reading? How can you follow the bold example of Jehosheba, who acted to save life and promote godliness? How can you avoid the example of Athaliah, whose decisiveness and dynamism were used so sinfully?
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« Reply #4872 on: October 18, 2007, 09:26:29 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 24
He was buried with the kings in the City of David, because of the good he had done in Israel for God and his temple. - 2 Chronicles 24:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
Randy Alcorn wrote about what he calls The Treasure Principle: “You can't take it with you—but you can send it on ahead. . . . If we give instead of keep, if we invest in the eternal instead of in the temporal, we store up treasures in heaven that will never stop paying dividends. Whatever treasures we store up on earth will be left behind when we leave. Whatever treasures we store up in heaven will be waiting for us when we arrive.” This is the secret that can unlock a lifetime of joyful giving.

The same spirit driving our giving today motivated the Israelites' giving in the days of Joash. He launched a project to restore the temple, which had fallen into disrepair. Athaliah had actually taken articles from it and used them for Baal worship. Though Jehoiada and the Levites were slow to act, the people themselves were ripe to return to the Lord. They demonstrated their changed hearts by filling the box at the temple door with their gifts again and again. Workers were immediately hired to do the construction and refurbishing—they were men of integrity, since they honestly reported a financial surplus after the work was finished.

Unfortunately, Joash's godliness was explicitly linked to the influence of Jehoiada. When his mentor died, the king was unable to stand for righteousness by himself. Did he depend too much on the priest? Or did Jehoiada keep him on too short a leash, never really developing his leadership skills? What was going on behind the scenes at the start of the temple restoration? We're left with many unanswered questions. One thing we know is that Joash succumbed to pride (v. 17). He then fell into idolatry, ignored a warning from God, and experienced judgments, a pattern we've seen before. Worst of all, he arranged for the murder of Jehoiada's son, Zechariah—this event triggered Joash's assassination, showing that God's justice cannot be forestalled. Tellingly, Jehoiada was buried with the kings; Joash was not.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
When Joash issued a royal proclamation and put a box by the temple doors, the people responded with generous giving. More than just money, this showed their renewed love and faith in the Lord. Giving serves the same purpose today, so we urge you to get out your checkbook and examine the register. Do you give the Lord the “firstfruits” of your paycheck? Do you do so with a cheerful heart (2 Cor. 9:7)? In attitudes or actions, are any changes needed? Make them without delay!
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« Reply #4873 on: October 19, 2007, 11:20:37 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 25
The righteous will live by his faith. - Habbakkuk 2:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
The wholehearted faith of Caleb was one of his most remarkable attributes. When he was one of only two spies to recommend entering the Promised Land, it was promised that he would live through the subsequent years of wandering “because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly” (Deut. 1:36). When that generation died off and the next entered the land, Caleb at age 85 was still there, as strong and vigorous and wholehearted as ever. He was given the city of Hebron, though he had to drive out the Anakites to take it (Josh. 14:6-14). His faith never faltered!

By contrast with Caleb, Amaziah in today's reading is an anemic example of halfhearted faith. Verse 2 says it all: “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly.” On the positive side, he took limited vengeance on his father Joash's killers, obeying the Law's strict guidelines (vv. 3-4). On the negative side, his military ambitions showed pride. When he hired northern Israelite mercenaries, he may have hoped God would judge his actions differently from those of previous kings who had formed alliances with pagan nations. But through an unnamed prophet, the Lord let him know that putting one's confidence in human strength was a bad move in any case. To this rebuke, Amaziah responded with some faith—he sent the hired soldiers home and even gave up their wages as a lost investment.

The king's mixed actions led to mixed results. God gave Judah a victory over Edom. This victory, however, was marred by cruel murders of some prisoners-of-war and entirely undone by Amaziah's astoundingly foolish worship of the Edomite “gods” he had just defeated.

Meanwhile, the mercenaries, furious that their lust for violence and booty had gone unsatisfied, took out their aggressions by plundering towns on the way home. This led Amaziah to another foolish decision—challenging Israel to a war. God engineered his defeat as a judgment on his idolatry, and like his father he ended up a victim of assassination.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Spend some time today to meditate on “wholeheartedness” versus “halfheartedness”—with Caleb and Amaziah as the instructive contrasts—then make a creative work that explores and illuminates the differences. For instance, you might draw a comic strip version of the episode in which the twelve spies reported back to Joshua. Or you could write a children's story with two contrasting protagonists. Another idea is to take a familiar hymn tune and write new lyrics on this theme.
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« Reply #4874 on: October 20, 2007, 09:04:57 AM »

Read: 2 Chronicles 26
As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success. - 2 Chronicles 26:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
Long before Israel had kings, God through the Law provided guidelines and warnings for them. Kings should not acquire large numbers of horses, that is, they should not put their confidence in military strength. They should also not take many wives—though that was a common form of diplomacy in that day—because these women would arrive with foreign idols and could distract or corrupt the king's spiritual devotion. Another warning was against accumulating riches, for similar reasons. Perhaps the most important instruction was for the king to study the Scriptures as an antidote to pride (Deut. 17:14-20).

Pride comes before a fall, as we've seen time and time again in 2 Chronicles. In the exceptionally long (52 years) reign of Uzziah, we see the same pattern we've seen before: good beginnings, followed by backsliding fueled mainly by pride. Uzziah began well. He sought the Lord and did what was right. He had a godly adviser, Zechariah. As a result, Judah experienced military successes and a time of peace. It appears Uzziah was a highly skilled military leader—his army was well-trained and he himself designed several new weapons. In addition to being a warrior, the king was also a builder and a farmer who embarked on many construction and agricultural projects to benefit his people.

Uzziah had many reasons to be proud—and pride was his downfall (v. 16). The turning point was an incident in which he entered the temple to burn incense, though the Law said only priests should do so. The group of priests who confronted him was courageous indeed, given what a powerful and popular king Uzziah was. He didn't accept their rebuke, and for his blasphemy the Lord immediately struck him with leprosy. He never entered the temple again and had to let his son take over the day-to-day ruling of the kingdom. Sadly, though he had years to think things over, we have no indication he ever repented of his sin.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Scripture memorization is an excellent way to arm yourself against temptation. To help guard yourself against the pride that felled Uzziah and others in 2 Chronicles, we suggest committing these two verses to memory: “A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor” (Prov. 29:23), and “For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:16).
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Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
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