April 19 - II Chronicles 25-28
Amaziah had a major problem. If a person looked at him from the outside, it might not have been apparent. His problem was his heart. He did many of the right things, but he did not do them from a "loyal" heart. In other words, he did not act out of his intimate personal relationship with God. He had some other motive for doing the things he did. That will always lead to trouble. In Amaziah's life it led to hiring mercenaries instead of trusting God to give him the victory in Battle, and it led to idolatry. Guard your heart! If you notice your heart is not loyal to the Lord, it will not be long before you disobey Him.
When the Bible says that Amaziah decided to attack Israel, and it was "from the Lord." That does not mean that God forced him to do it. It means that God knew he would do it, and He did not stop him, because He wanted to use that to punish him for his idolatry. That is how God uses His foreknowledge of our actions to lead us or even to punish us. He does not have to force us to do things very often because of His complete knowledge of everything and everyone.
Uzziah was a great king except for pride. Pride was his downfall. It is the downfall of all who allow it to take root in their lives. Pride always leads to destruction, so it must be rooted out of our lives at any cost. It caused Uzziah to become a leper. God made him a leper as punishment for his pride. Do not let anyone tell you that all sickness comes from Satan. Some of it comes directly from God, and some of it comes from the sin infected fallen world in which we live. Let God show you the origin of your sickness. Do not assume it comes from Satan.
When Ahaz became king, he led Judah in a period of moral decline. The country was brought low because of his idolatry. I am sure it was much like it is today. People have accepted lower moral standards, and they have accepted idolatry. It is a sad state of affairs. God is having to punish us today, just like He had to punish Judah, because God hates sin, and He must pour out His wrath against sin. Sometimes He is merciful, but He always punishes sin.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Chronicles 29-32.
When the Bible says that Amaziah decided to attack Israel, and it was "from the Lord." That does not mean that God forced him to do it. It means that God knew he would do it, and He did not stop him, because He wanted to use that to punish him for his idolatry. That is how God uses His foreknowledge of our actions to lead us or even to punish us. He does not have to force us to do things very often because of His complete knowledge of everything and everyone.
Uzziah was a great king except for pride. Pride was his downfall. It is the downfall of all who allow it to take root in their lives. Pride always leads to destruction, so it must be rooted out of our lives at any cost. It caused Uzziah to become a leper. God made him a leper as punishment for his pride. Do not let anyone tell you that all sickness comes from Satan. Some of it comes directly from God, and some of it comes from the sin infected fallen world in which we live. Let God show you the origin of your sickness. Do not assume it comes from Satan.
When Ahaz became king, he led Judah in a period of moral decline. The country was brought low because of his idolatry. I am sure it was much like it is today. People have accepted lower moral standards, and they have accepted idolatry. It is a sad state of affairs. God is having to punish us today, just like He had to punish Judah, because God hates sin, and He must pour out His wrath against sin. Sometimes He is merciful, but He always punishes sin.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Chronicles 29-32.