1-19/20-2019 Take It Through The Week

Wednesday –  2 Chronicles 19:4–7  If you read the Old Testament, you see that it was rare that the children Israel were following the Lord. They strayed often. Jehoshaphat brought them back to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.  What a dream for our nation today, for us as a country, to come back to the Lord. As we look around we see a people who have strayed and we see injustice on so many levels and in so many places. We need God. We need the God of the Bible. That is exactly what Jehoshaphat said to his nation. Judges were appointed who would not judge for man but for the Lord.  Would to God that we had Judges in our land who would consult the Bible and follow the Bible. What would it be like to have judges and politicians who knew there is no injustice or partiality or taking bribes with the Lord our God.  Would you pray with me for our nation? Dear Lord Jesus Christ, please do whatever it takes in our nation to return us to you. No price is too great, no comfort is to valuable, that we wouldn’t give it up, simply to see our nation fall to its knees and beg you for mercy. Be exalted in our nation. Be lifted up amongst us. Be glorified by people returning to You and calling You, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, In Jesus Name, Amen. 



Thursday –  2 Chronicles 20:2–4 People came and told Jeshoshaphat, “A vast number from beyond the Dead Sea and from Edom has come….. We serve a God who is familiar with seemingly impossible forces bent on destruction of His Plan for the Nations. He is never surprised by a turn of events. He is never distracted by the decisions of man. He is a God of Power and Might. He is never worried about what men are doing…, or not doing, for that matter. When we see circumstances and obvious unrighteousness all around us, it is easy to for us to think God is just as worried as we are. He is not. However, for us to reach our potential and for us to grow to our fullest, we are called to fall on our knees, when our fears might be telling us to run. God has a prescription for broken nations that has ever been pleasing to Him. Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the Lord. Then He proclaimed a fast for all Judah, who gathered to seek the Lord. If you are ever in doubt about what to do when you don’t know what to do, fast (skip a meal or two) and let your hunger remind you to pray. When we fast, we say to God that He is more important than even our most immediate wants and needs. Cover to cover, in the Bible it is something, that when done in humility and privacy, pleases God and releases all the powers of heaven to change, what seems unchangeable.  Choose a day to fast and pray. 


Friday –  2 Chronicles 20:5–9 Power and might are in Your hand and no one can stand against You… Are you not… Jehoshaphat asks God a series of questions that he knew the answer to. While Jehoshaphat was pleading with God, he was not questioning God. He was acknowledging God through questions. Notice He questions, but then acknowledges the answer himself. God is never offended with questions that seek Him or ask Him to move to action on our behalf. But God never entertains questions designed to justify man. Sometimes men who question often really mean to point out their own intelligence or even their own power. But we can learn from Jeshoshaphat’s questions and from his intent. His intent is to state man’s doubt while appealing to God’s might. There is no sin in that. Pray with me. Lord I seek You. Sometimes I doubt that you are there, sometimes I doubt my ability to find You. And sometimes I even doubt Your ability to find and save me. But Your Word teaches me that you hear me and will save me. Save me Lord, for I need You. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.   




 

Saturday - 2 Chronicles 20:17, 20-24 You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, and stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.  When we studied theater in college, we were taught to stand and deliver certain lines in a very particular way. With our body language we stood firmly planted and with faces forward we delivered that very important line.  That is exactly what God calls the Israelites to do. Position yourselves, stand still, and see… God calls us to relationship with Him. Sometimes that requires falling on our faces and humbling ourselves before Him. And other times it requires You and I standing on a promise and watching God move on our behalf. It is a wise man who learns the difference and the benefit of both. You know the rest of the story. They did not have to fight this battle. The enemy had turned on each other and killed one another, even to the very last man. What a miracle! What a mighty God! He is still a God of miracles and might. He is still in control. He is still calling us to kneel and to stand. He is the humbler of our spirits and the lifter of our heads. Praise be to the God who fights our battles for us, if we will let Him. Take a moment and write down below two things you need for God to handle for you. Kneel and give them to Him, then stand upon His promises!