Tuesday 19 November 2013

Press On To The Finish Line

Today's Journal


1 Kings 15

Abijah King of Judah

15 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah[a] became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.[b]
He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been. Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.
There was war between Abijah[c] and Jeroboam throughout Abijah’s lifetime. As for the other events of Abijah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.

Asa King of Judah

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, 10 and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.
11 Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done. 12 He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made. 13 He even 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 and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 14 Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life. 15 He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.
16 There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns. 17 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.
18 Asa then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent them to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. 19 “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 a gift of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”
20 Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali. 21 When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah. 22 Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah—no one was exempt—and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using there. With them King Asa built up Geba in Benjamin, and also Mizpah.
23 As for all the other events of Asa’s reign, all his achievements, all he did and the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? In his old age, however, his feet became diseased. 24 Then Asa rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king.

Nadab King of Israel

25 Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit.
27 Baasha son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar plotted against him, and he struck him down at Gibbethon, a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it. 28 Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and succeeded him as king.
29 As soon as he began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 30 This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel.
31 As for the other events of Nadab’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 32 There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.

Baasha King of Israel

33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.
 

DO NOT GIVE UP

Message:
Today’s journal King Asa started his kingly rule well at the start of his reign; he sought God counsel and depended on Him. However, on the later part of his journey he forgot God and never seeks God. Instead he relied only on physicians.

Asa walked with God many years. It wasn't until year thirty-five that he stopped seeking God, instead relying on a man and did not finish well.

Similarly, God placed us in the race of life and along the way are giants, storms and burdens to overcome, through Christ we can do all things.

Promise:
Life is like running a marathon which  means enduring all the way to the finish line.

Warning:
In order to finish the race, you have to be in complete command of your mind and body.

Command:
Today’s journal encourages us not to stop the race set for us. Therefore, you have no excuse for not persevering. So run brothers and sisters, run and do not stop holding onto Christ!”

Application:
The Christian life is a marathon. It is a race that must be run with endurance. By ourselves we would never make it. But thanks be to God, He holds us up and gives us a courage to go on.

Keep running the race with patient endurance, knowing that He has great plans for you… plans that will lead to a harvest of peace!

Do not give up. Do not lose hope. The finish line is in sight. The pain will be forgotten in the unfathomable joy of victory. With Jesus running beside you, you cannot fail.

 

 

 


 

In Disguise Is Hypocricy

Today's Journal

 
1 Kings 14:1-4
 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick. Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise now, and disguise yourself so that they will not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh; behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who spoke concerning me that I would be king over this people. Take ten loaves with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.”
Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were [a]dim because of his age.

Message:
Jeroboam sends his wife to inquire of the prophet Ahijah, concerning the health of his son.  In doing so, he gives her contradictory directions:  she is to go to and ask of the prophet who by God's enabling can see their son's future, but to disguise herself so he won't know who she is!

Now a days, many are like Jeroboam’s wife pretending to be somebody, are you? This really makes no sense, in disguise is but simply hypocrisy.

Promise:
God knows what has happened and what could have happened In the past, in the present, and in the future.

Warning:
We can’t hide our true identity.

Command:
It’s just so easy to wear the disguise. Today is the day to take off the disguise and be true to yourself, our integrity is what God’s count. If we truly want the character of Christ, we must expose our weaknesses, shed our hypocrisy and stop pretending. God calls us to BE TRANSPARENT.

Application:
He wants us to be real. He wants us to be the people He’s created us to be. He likes the real you and me more than He likes the fake roles we so often play. He wants us to live securely in the love that He has for us which is eternal and unconditional.