My Walk With Him

Sunday, January 7, 2018

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.

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. v17

Although Jehoshapat "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord" (v22), he sinned - as do we all. See verses 35-37.

In the face of a grave threat from the Moabites and the Ammonites with some of the Meunites, Jehoshapat, with the people of Judah, sought the Lord's help (v3-4).

Indeed, on a daily basis, we will face the forces of darkness and Satan (see 1 Peter 5:8). Yet we have God on our side (see Ephesians 6:10-20) and we should recognized that God will fight for us.

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. v15

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:13-14

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who will never leave us or forsake and who fights for us - thank You Jesus! I am not worth such love. I worry. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Saturday, January 6, 2018

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.

2 Chronicles 19

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. v7

Jehoshaphat appoints judges in Judah and is careful to point them to the Lord for their wisdom.

Solomon recognized this:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but foolsdespise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

We must understand that we are not to go God for wisdom in big decisions but in ALL decisions and for ALL of our life. This requires transformation of the mind.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

It is this DAILY renewing of the mind that should be our focus as this will serve to help God mold our hearts and minds into His image.

See also this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God whose wisdom far surpasses my own understanding and it provides for all of my needs and I would be lost without You and Your Word. Thank You Jesus for loving me despite my sin. I am not worthy - I worry. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Friday, January 5, 2018

Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians.

2 Chronicles 16

Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians. v12

Asa, King of Judah, relied on the earthly powers of himself and others vs on God. See also v7-9:

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. Were not the Cushitesand Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. 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.”

I am very guilty of this sin in my life - and this is the source of my worry.

We must avoid leaning on our own strength and understanding.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Thursday, January 4, 2018

“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. They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands.”

2 Chronicles 12

“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. They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands.” v7-8

God is so full of grace and compassion - slow to anger and abounding in love.

As a follow up to yesterday's post, we all sin and are in need of a savior. Time and time again His children (including ourselves) have sinned but God - through His Son - gives us an opportunity to repent from our sin.

However, we must remember that we are not free from the consequences of sin - which does not escape Israel in these verses.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God, full of love and compassion, and slow to anger and abounding in love....for me and all of Your children. Thank You Jesus! I am not worth such love. I worry...alot! Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind, and love others as You do. Help me have peace in confidence through You. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say...[.]

2 Chronicles 6

When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say...[.] v36-37

Solomon, in a prayer to God dedicating the newly built temple, acknowledges that all people sin (see also Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8) and asks for God to forgive those who repent and turn from their sin towards God - here is the rest of his prayer:

'We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly’; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you. v37-39

We have a God who loves us SO much that He sent His one and only Son Jesus Christ (John 3:16) to die on the cross so that we could have freedom from the sting of sin and death. He not only hears our cry but He is able to transform our hearts and minds so that we become more like Him (see also Romans 12:2).

He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me so much that You gave Your one and only Son so that I would have freedom from the sting of sin and death...I know that You love me, even though You know everything about me, including my sin. Thank You Jesus. I am not worth such love. I am selfish, hurtful with my words and actions, and more. Please forgive me and help me turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.

2 Chronicles 5

Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God. v13-14

Solomon "and the entire assembly of Israel...had gathered about him were before the ark" (v6) and worshiped God in the temple they had just built. They sought God and God responded, "filling" the temple.

God wants us to invite Him into our hearts and lives, and He promises us that He will not only draw near to us if we draw near to Him, but that we will also be blessed and "filled" if we seek Him.

Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. Proverbs 8:17

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him. Lamentations 3:25

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who Has filled my life with Your Word, Your Blessings, and Your Grace - thank You Jesus! I am in awe of what You do every day. I am not worth such love as I am selfish and I worry - I also am harsh with my words and actions. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind, and love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Monday, January 1, 2018

There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.

2 Chronicles 5

There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt. v10

God's Word stands alone. Nothing or no one is greater than God, God is the Word, and the Word is perfect. As such we should be careful to interpret God's word for Truth. We should be careful not to add to or subtract from the Word.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I know that without You I would be lost and would be unable to do anything good. Thank You Jesus for loving me and for rescuing me. I am not worth such a God - especially so given You came to rescue me, knowing everything about me, including my sin. Please forgive me for my selfishness. Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.