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Re: Bulletin Board [message #11454 is a reply to message #11452]

Sat, 13 December 2014 15:08

james
Messages: 2137
Registered: April 2008
Location: Birmingham, AL

Senior Member

Continuing thoughts from the lives of the kings of Israel...

As I read and meditate on the acts of the various kings of Israel/Judah I see a more and more the reason The Lord reminds us to learn from studying their example. King Asa, who started out as a good king (he even removed his own mother from being queen because she built and worshipped an idol in the grove). When the king of Ethiopia came against Judah he called upon The Lord and they were delivered. Judah had rest from war and prospered under the leadership of Asa.

Then, for whatever reason, after over 30 years of peace and trust in God, when Israel's king Baasha came against Judah, Asa sought help from the king of Syria. And although they won God wasn't pleased with them and sent a prophet to speak unto Asa, reminding him of His deliverances in the past and condemning the calling on Syria for help in time of need ..."For the eyes of The LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars." II Chronicles 16:9

And so Asa put the prophet in prison...and then Asa got a disease in his feet and rather than seek The LORD as he had in his younger life, he refused to turn to God for help and died.

Over and over we see men who started out in their walk with God as obedient, humble, hungry for God's presence, giving Him all the glory, leading their nation in worship of God, destroying false idols and images...only to depart from God in their latter days. Solomon allowed his many wives to draw him away from God to the worship of idols. His son Rehoboam turned from God after he had strengthen himself and his kingdom. And Asa went from being a man/king who was so zealous for God that he even removed his mother from queen and cried out unto God for deliverance when his kingdom was assaulted by the Ethiopians, to refusing to even seek God when he was dying.

Sin hardens the heart of man; it brings deception, it opens the door to discouragement and despair, it erodes faith to the point that one forgets all the blessings that God has bestowed in the past...if sin is allowed to come to fruition without repentance, it results in death. How many times have we heard the saying, "It's not how you start the race but how you finish"?

God grant us grace to be teachable, humble, quick to repent, and always in remembrance of what You've done in the past and what You have promised for the future, hearts that recognize the enemies wiles and are quick to cry out unto You for deliverance when under assault, always giving You the glory, honor, and thanksgiving knowing You who have made the promises will fulfill them, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,”

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